We have been having a lot of talk about KINDNESS around here... "How could you have said that in a more kind way?"... "Is that kindness?"... How could you ask me more kindly?"... I can hear these phrases in my sleep...
Two years ago I heard a woman speaking at a mom's group that I was going to, about different things that she did to train her kids and why she did them... She said a lot of things, but the one thing that I remember from her talk was that she used the word "kind" instead of "nice" when she was talking to her kids about the way that they were treating each other. She said that she said "kind" instead, because kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit and she felt that by using biblical terminology she could get more to the heart of the conflict. Then she quoted 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
At the time my kids were very small and I felt like the message wasn't really applicable... But throughout the past year it has seemed COMPLETELY APPLICABLE!!!! I think that kindness might be one of the MAIN topics in our home right now... It amazes me that my kids know how to be so nasty to each other without any training but we are constantly talking, learning, practicing kindness and it sinks in oh-so-slowly.
But the reason that I am making note of all this kindness talk is because there have been those windows of success that remind me of why we put so much time into the topic of kindness...
I think that Siah has been doing it for awhile but for some reason today I just noticed it more... SEVERAL times today I have had to ask Siah, "How could you have spoken more kindly to your sister?" And once I ask the question it is like a light goes off in his heart and his voice changes and gets softer and he lays his hand on Halee's back and begins his request of Halee with the sweetest little voice, "Sweetheart, could you please..." When I hear those tender words come out of his mouth towards his sister I think to myself, "God you are so faithful!" Faithful even in the little things, like kindness coming out of the heart of my little boy and into his sister, who mimics everything that her brother does. She mimics his nasty voice, yes... but she mimics his kindness just the same... And I LOVE SEEING KINDNESS come to fruition in our home.
Thank you Lord that he calls her sweetheart...
Two years ago I heard a woman speaking at a mom's group that I was going to, about different things that she did to train her kids and why she did them... She said a lot of things, but the one thing that I remember from her talk was that she used the word "kind" instead of "nice" when she was talking to her kids about the way that they were treating each other. She said that she said "kind" instead, because kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit and she felt that by using biblical terminology she could get more to the heart of the conflict. Then she quoted 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
At the time my kids were very small and I felt like the message wasn't really applicable... But throughout the past year it has seemed COMPLETELY APPLICABLE!!!! I think that kindness might be one of the MAIN topics in our home right now... It amazes me that my kids know how to be so nasty to each other without any training but we are constantly talking, learning, practicing kindness and it sinks in oh-so-slowly.
But the reason that I am making note of all this kindness talk is because there have been those windows of success that remind me of why we put so much time into the topic of kindness...
I think that Siah has been doing it for awhile but for some reason today I just noticed it more... SEVERAL times today I have had to ask Siah, "How could you have spoken more kindly to your sister?" And once I ask the question it is like a light goes off in his heart and his voice changes and gets softer and he lays his hand on Halee's back and begins his request of Halee with the sweetest little voice, "Sweetheart, could you please..." When I hear those tender words come out of his mouth towards his sister I think to myself, "God you are so faithful!" Faithful even in the little things, like kindness coming out of the heart of my little boy and into his sister, who mimics everything that her brother does. She mimics his nasty voice, yes... but she mimics his kindness just the same... And I LOVE SEEING KINDNESS come to fruition in our home.
Thank you Lord that he calls her sweetheart...
