A NEW WAY, A BETTER WAY.

"Let me just give him a gentle wack on the bum", I argued with the Holy Spirit. "nothing too painful, just enough to get him to behave", I persisted while trying to quickly place my fresh laundry into the hot press so I could fulfil that pressing need to give Joshua a smacking that he'll not forget in a hurry. In my quest to get that piece of work done quickly, I almost toppled down my mini ladder. "Oh gosh", I muttered while trying to maintain a proper balance without falling off and breaking my neck. "You better take it easy and not hurt yourself", that still gentle voice said. "Go down stairs and find out what the fuss is all about but don't smack him". "Ok", I conceded and stumped not too gently down the stairs so the Holy Spirit would know how I felt about not giving Josh some good old "smakaroo". I felt cheated off a good old fashion smacking after all the bible said "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly" Proverbs 13:14. I felt the Holy Spirit was denying me the Justice I so wanted to lash out by screaming my lungs out. I'd given him his favourite meal right after school, played with him before going up to do my chores, so what could be the problem? After ruling out all other possibilities that I could draw up in my head, I felt a good old fashioned discipline was well deserved. On getting into the living room, I gently asked him what the matter was instead of shouting which would have been my initial response to his tantrums. I felt stupid doing the coey doey stuff because that's not me. I DO SHOUT AND I DO IT WELL...but not today. I'd decided to try a different way by obeying the Holy Spirit and it turned out to be a better way. Josh calmed down faster with my gentle words and hugs. It is not always easy adjusting to new things. There is that awkward moments of fitting in especially when you've mastered the old. For instance starting out on a diet leaves one painfully hungry(or maybe its only me cos i'm even more hungry now than ever). I remember how it felt driving my friend's new car when mine was broken. It was awkward initially until I mastered the new features and driving became "easy peasy", much better than my old banger (now I hate my car...*sob*sob*sob*) Peter had a similar experience. Imagine Jesus, the son of a carpenter telling Peter who had a Masters in Fisheries to launch out into the deep to catch fish! What audacity! Peter had been toiling all night! He'd tossed his net to the north, west, east and south of the sea and had caught nothing. After his initial protest, he gave into Jesus's request and got a MIND BLOWING TESTIMONY. The difference between his first attempt and the second was OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD. Instead of rebellion, he chose the better way-OBEDIENCE. He wouldn't have got that terrific result if Jesus was not in the boat with him. The old way is full of frustration, emptiness, pain, loss even death. However in Christ there is A NEW WAY, A BETTER WAY that leads to life. It's not always easy but so worth it. I don't shout at Josh anymore and the result is beautiful. I'm enjoying a better and healthier relationship with my boy. P.S my wrinkles have also reduced.