Fortitude Vs Compromise Part One...

 

This week I've been really looking at trials from many angles... from the angle of  STUPID STUPID CANCER, from the angle of mourning the death of children, fathers, mothers, marriages, babies, guilt, from the angle of looking at Who our protector is, from the angle of it's benefit: genuine faith.  And that's just the beginning!

So it shouldn't be a surprise to me that even though I had in my head one kind of trial when I wrote week three, I would be learning a whole 'nother kind of fortitude lesson. *sigh*

Now, I try really hard not to write about my children in unflattering ways. I don't think that's about putting up a false front, but about respecting them as people. I can't imagine reading a post about mistakes I've made or stupid things I've done. That being said, I learned such an amazing lesson this week, I'm going to make an exception... and hope the kid will forgive me. (I'll try to make it as anonymous as possible)

One of the children who lives in my home is a teenager.  Lately this kid has been battling me over several different house rules that have up to now never been questioned. We don't play video games that are violent, gory, foul, or naked. We don't listen to music that is hateful, profanity-laced, s_xual, or satanic. We don't watch rated R movies, and we read the reviews of all movies before we attend one together. Head butt, Head butt, Head Butt. (sometimes it takes actual restraint to not reverse the word order in that last sentence)

The civil unrest has been relatively civil, but it's pretty frequent.  Then there was last week.  We were in the car with a different teenager who announced out loud that she watches CSI and so should my kids. I let my kid know that that was SO not going to happen.  I actually find the 'gore' pretty cool in CSI, but it's the whole darkside f_tish stuff that was happening back when I was last watching it that made me choose not to EVER watch it again. I let them know that it was not a good show and why. In about 2 minutes, we were on the next topic.

Later, from up in my room, I heard my kid ranting to the other kids in the room about how he had to ENDURE A TWO HOUR LECTURE, I'M BARELY EVEN KIDDING! There were some other unflattering sentences that included the words 'blah, blah, blah' and some mocking laughter.

My heart broke. I am not so unrealistic as to think my kids will never complain about their mother, I just never thought I'd have to hear it. I was embarrassed, furious, and sad.

... there's a lesson here in this trial, but I have to run off for a few hours. I'll be back later this evening to finish the story and share the happy ending.....

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:2-8 ESV)

*sorry about the vowel substitution. creepy people were finding my blog by searching those words and then coming here to say gross things.