YOU DESERVE A WHIPPIN

Have you ever noticed parents trying to control their kids at restaurants?  When I was single, I remember saying to myself, "My kids will never act that way in public."  Then I actually had kids.  In the 11 years that I have been a parent, my precious children have not only acted bad, but worse than most of the kids I have witnessed before.
One time, when my middle child, Samuel was around two, we were in a restaurant and he was pushing all of us to the limit.  I thought someone was going to ask us to leave.  Needless to say, I went from patient, to embarrassed, to angry within minutes.  Finally, Haley looks at me with frustration in her voice, and says, "Well, are you going to do something?"  You bet I was.  I'd had enough.  This evil child of mine was going to get the whooping of his life.  With one ninja like motion, I snatched him up out of his high chair and we were off to the bathroom.
The bathroom, however, was all the way across the restaurant.  In that long walk of shame, Samuel did something that I will never forget.  As I am holding him in my arms ready to tear into him, he grabs my face and looks me in the eyes and says "I love you daddy."
I don't know if you have ever stared into the face of one who looks almost identical to you and heard those words before, but let me tell you it is life changing.  All the anger, all the rage, all the frustration that was stirring within had suddenly vanished in one moment.  I looked at my son and said, Do you promise to be good?"  He nodded. And we turned back toward our seats, with me saying, "Just tell your mom that I whipped you."
The Bible tells us that we are made in the image of our Father (Gen. 1:26).  So when we look to Him and tell Him how much we love Him, how could He deny us anything.  He loves us so much and even though He must sometimes show us discipline, He forgives us every time. We fail to realize this because maybe we think that what we have done is too bad for forgiveness.  You don't deserve forgiveness, you deserve to be taken to the bathroom in the restaurant and get a big fat whipping, but somewhere along the line, God sent His Son Jesus as payment for our sins, turned us around and set us back down at His table to eat once again.
So remember, you are God's kid, you are loved, and you are forgiven.  Grab His face and tell Him how much you love Him today.  It will truly melt His heart.

The Worn Out Bible

Her day is filled with laughter and love
Listening to her favorite band
She always enjoys her time spent in prayer
With a worn out Bible in her hand

Through special occasions with family and friends
She helps out whenever she can
Except for the few moments she steals
To read the worn out Bible in her hand

No matter the struggles life throws her way
As unstable as shifting sand
She knows she can find comfort from God
In the worn out Bible in her hand

And as her life comes to an end
And her spirit is leaving this land
One thing is found not too far away
A worn out Bible on the night stand

author:  Jotty Kinney