(Kids love it when I wash the couch covers. We also have blanket day once a week. Believe me I never remind them its blanket day! )
The Lord in his grace has somehow erased all swear words I have said out of the children’s memory, and the children haven’t ever repeated any words I have said. I really pray and pray about this when it happens, because the last thing I want to do is to teach my children this habit. (See Keeping Perspective blog for details–I am working on it.) But Riley says “Crap Nugget and Butt Nugget” when he gets really angry, luckily this is what the children do say. Its considered a very bad word, which I laugh at Riley for getting so much guff from the kids when I am the one who really swears. They tell Riley “Thats what Romans say!” (Romans spat on Jesus so they are the epitomy of evil)
The other day Milly’s friends ran off and left her. (One of those friends brought over a pretty artwork the next day, so we forgave). Rawl yelled at the top of his lungs “STOP!!! CRAP NUGGET!” When I talked to him about this he said he was taking care of Miwee. How sweet, how blessed Milly is to have Rawl!
Luckily the other day during scripture study I had a pen handy when Rawl started reading us his scriptures. He really did say upon.
“And it came to pass that they took up their weapons, and put them upon their heads, and they fell to their knees, and the fell down dead.”
“And it came to pass, they buried their weapons in a hole, so they won’t have any swords, cause they have to be nice, casue they wanted to listen to Heavenly Father.”
In reading the Doctrine and Covenants the other day, I realized how much mercy and gentleness that we need to have with our children. Remembering that they are not capable of being tempted by Satan, can help us to not react with anger but with understanding. “But behold, I say unto you, that little children are redeemed from the faoundation of the world through mine Only Begotten; Wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me.” Doctrine and Covenants 29:46-47
I never noticed that they BEGIN to be accountable. They don’t just magically become accoutable, and just as the Savior’s grace enfolds us as we learn how to BECOME, so we should scaffold our children’s efforts and gentley bring them to understanding till they truly capable of sound decision making. Also I love Jer3:12-14, because the Lord says “Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou has transgressed against the Lord thy God…
Then I love this part “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unot you; and I will take one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion; And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you knowledge and understanding.”
What words of honey for the heart can I use that would be words according to the heart of the Lord, which feed knowledge and understanding? In For the Strength of Youth, the youth of our church are told, Living the Standards set in For the Strength of Youth will make you feel good about yourself, write those standards into your heart and mind, and live accordingly.” What words can I sweetly beautifully say so often that they are inscribed in my children’s hearts, or what scriptures and poems can we memorize together that they will burn into their conscience so when the evil one doth come to tempt and steel away, they will be armed with solid tools of righteousness?
Please share your favorite poems, or sayings, or tricks to keeping your words full of “understanding” and “knowledge”!
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