The Duffy Family

Discipline: It will age you 10 years daily!

...so that means I'm like somewhere around 13,000 years old!!! Well, mom, I hope you are happy cause I think you got your wish. My mom always said that I was a horribly strong willed, awful child and that she (jokingly but also seriously) hoped I would get a taste of what it was like to have to handle that day in and day out. She was sadly dissappointed for a while cause I seemed to have the most wonderful children ever....then age 2 1/2 rolled around. Ever since then, a smile has begun to creep across my mother's face at the joy that comes with "payback." ha ha.

Today, I am about at the end of my rope. At the end of any given day lately, I feel so exhausted from trying to teach my children that I don't even feel human anymore...just a blob lying on the floor for the next 10 hours or so until it all starts all over again. The outright defiance, the unkind words finding their way out of my son's mouth, the defening piggy shrills that I have no idea how Ella makes when she is mad, the disrespect...it adds up until I begin to wonder if any of this will pay off in the end. Will my children grow up to be children I am proud of? Will they be kind and selfless, giving, respectful, encouraging, truthspeakers, etc.? Am I doing enough that my Heavenly Father is proud of me? He entrusted these beautiful children to me to raise to be Christ followers: to be salt and light for Him. So many times I find myself failing miserably, so why did he think I was qualified for this task? It is so overwhelming at times!

I am reminded of a verse in Proverbs (22:6) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. God's word is utter truth. He has proved that over and over again. My duty to my children is to press on, praying daily that they will overcome evil with good through Jesus Christ our Lord: that they will have a true desire (one day) to live a life that brings glory to our Father. That is my heart's greatest desire for my children and today is just a day that feels as though this is unattainable. I know in my head this is the farthest thing from the truth, but I know many of you "seasoned moms" out there remember this well...so say a little prayer for me. I want to be able to hold it together when I am frustrated so that I can be an example to my children. I want them to be able to look back and remember the love I had in "dealing" with them. As much as the things they do frustrate me beyond belief, I love them more than words could ever describe. I believe God gave moms just a little bit of the love He has for us (his children). It doesn't matter what our children do, we will love them unconditionally. My parents always told me, "I don't like what you are doing, but I love you and always will." This is so very true...

Father, I can't imagine how you deal with millions of us (your children) on a daily basis. It's all I can do to handle my two! Thank you for demonstrating the love I should have for my children. Please give me the strength to daily train my children in "the way they should go" for I know you are a faithful God who keeps his promises...and they "will not depart from it."

On another note, please continue to pray for Abel Tyson www.caringbridge.com/visit/abeltyson So many of you have told me that you are and I know that your prayers mean the world to them! Abel began radiation yesterday and so far has done well with it. He is supposed to have a total of 12 treatments I believe and then they will be able to head back home. Please continue to pray...especially that there will be no delays, no fever, nothing that would prevent him from receiving the radiation in the time table that was proposed. They are anxious to get home and have a little bit of time to settle back in and sort things out before the arrival of baby #2.
Jonah 2:2-"In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.