A day of listening

Today has been a strangs day. Not too much has gone as I would have hoped, and I know why! I really need to make some heart changes. I am not practicing as much slef control as I should in many areas. The first area is with my kids, they are getting into trouble (minor infractions, they have been cooped up so long...our temps have been beow 0) Well, I am falling into sin here...the kids are doing dumb little things, and they should be corrected, but I seem to take it too far. As always, I am like the energizer bunny when it comes to lecturing...I seem to go on and on and on as I feel like nobody hears me! I tell one to not dilly dally while doing her chores and no sooner do I get done "lecturing" her, than she turns right around and does what I just told her not to do! Then , she acts suprised when she gets sent to the corner! The kids are not "hearing" me...as they tune me out when I "lecture" them. So, this needs to stop. The Bible says we are not to provoke our children! "....provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" Ephesians 6:4 Am I living out that piece of scripture? NO! I am provoking them to wrath beacuse I am not training them...I am PUNISHING them...and yes, they do need punishment....I do not spare the rod on my kids. But, if all they get is punished and not TRAINED, then they will surely do the same things again and again...and it will be MY fault as I am not following through with what God is telling me to do! and the sad thing about that is, that I KNOW what I am supposed to be doing! So, my goal and prayers are going to be that I can TRAIN them in the ways of the Lord...but FIRST...I need to have some training...as I am not where I should be in my walk with the Lord.
The second area that needs to have a little more of "me" is my house. I know things are in "ok" shape around here...but it could be better. As I told a friend of mine the other day, I would like to light a match to my upstairs! LOL...this needs more of "our" attention. "our" meaning the children too! LOL...
The third area that I could practice more self control is in my weight loss journey! I was doing really well, but since DH has been only working a few days a week, things have gone down hill....in a BIG way! This should not have happened! I am NOT going to be a slave to my body, and really want to get healthy so I can live a long long time ( Lord willing) :)
These days where you can sit back and really listen to what God is telling you are precious and I am thankful for them even though those days are really full of conviction. If we never felt this conviction there would never be any spirtual growth. I know that God is good and God is God, so what He says is what we should strive for. Afterall, we were made in His perfect image...we have to try to be Christ like! This is really hard as we all live in a fallen world and are born sinners! But without my personal realationship to Christ as my saviour, I would have nothing to look up to! What a wonderful example we have in Christ! I pray for each lost person to find the Lord and trust Him! That's the only way!!!
Have a blessed day!

~ Kim