When I run out of solutions, I blatantly point my husband or my kids to God. “Ask Him!” I say. Pray about it. I don’t know anymore.

It is not a secret that my biggest trigger is a disrespectful or ungrateful attitude. I wonder sometimes if my eyes trick me and I jump to conclusions. I am doing my own self reflection here. The rolled eyes, the huffing or grunting, the turning of their back to me… My youngest started imitating the eldest too well in this arena. I say this because it had been happening almost daily, and the more we highlighted it, the more evident it became. Duh!

And yet, we have had a few weeks now of smoother sailing. A few nights ago I was floored when I heard Jackie pray: “Dear God, help me be grateful for all the thing I do have”. A grateful heart has the ability to experience joy. Otherwise, no matter what you have, you can have the world at your feet, if your heart is bitter you will only taste unhappiness. God is faithful to answer our prayers. We ought to only voice them to Him.

Parents only have the illusion of control. If at all. But pointing our kids to God, even our spuse leading by example, there is hope. Not that they will do want you want them to do, but they will eventually chose the right thing.

She may very well be praying those words just because I said so, but I felt my whole body relax, as if I fully felt and she understood that we are in God’s hands. And He can change our heart even when we don’t feel the gratitude.