Friday, February 11, 2011

Love School

We've been doing a bit of love "school" work this week.
We got this book on Saint Valentine from the library.


We are practicing signing our name,
as we fill out our valentine cards for our loved ones.
(The kids picked out their valentine's cards from Grocery Outlet.
99 cents for 32 cards!)

We hung our decorations & I am planning our Valentine's dinner.



I wrote out part of 1 Corinthians 13 for them.
They traced hearts around the word Love & decorated the paper.
As they colored I told them how this was a verse about love.
We were going to learn a song about it & practice it & learn how to love.

While the project was going, I turned to help Moira with something for a minute.
Gillian used that brief time as an opportunity to color on Peyton's paper.
Why?!  I was so irritated.  I shouted at her & sent her to her room.
I told her she should have known better...
I felt awful.  I totally lost my temper over something super stupid.
And, I knew what was coming next.
We were going to be talking about what love means.
And I was the negative example.
I called her to come back with us & we read the bible verse...

"Love is patient, Love is kind, 
it does not envy or boast, 
Love is not proud or rude;
It's not self-seeking, 
or easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrong..."


Mommy was just an example of not showing love...
My kids all struggle with the "easily angered" part.
I don't really wonder why.

I need to go to love school.

Jesus, give me patience for my little ones.  
Teach me how to love them.
I want to be quick to listen to them, 
and slow to get angry with them.
Your grace is enough for me to be able to show them grace.
I "know" this Bible verse by heart.
I want it to be firmly rooted there in heart, 
so that I live this real love to them.
I certainly can't do it alone.  
Real love only comes from Jesus.

12 comments:

Stef said...

I love the spin you give Valentine's Day for your kids! Great opportunity to study God's love for us.

LindaFaye said...

And I thought "Love School" was going to be about sex!

Ha!

Yeah, gotta love it when I am the negative example for my kids. It seems to happen often.

Nicola said...

wonderful way to tie God's love into a love filled holiday.
p.s. love the decorations!

Krista said...

Thank you for this timely reminder. I have been struggling with this very thing most of the week... Patience.

paisley and lace said...

love your vulnerability, and admire that you are still posting, schooling and even valentining just after bringing a new one into the world.

Rachel said...

So precious! Thanks for your open heart and example of taking an everyday thing that moms struggle with and glorifying Jesus with it with your children instead. Just beautiful.

Charlotte said...

This seems to happen to me a lot too...every now and then I will focus on something my kids do that needs to change, and then I am the one who messes up. But it is just as powerful a message when we show our children how much we need Christ and forgiveness too. :-)

This was a great idea!

Stephanie said...

I need to go to love school too. Where do I sign up? ;)

stephanie@metropolitanmama.net

Emily Anderson said...

totally needed to read this as i just lost my temper with my oldest.
ugh.
love school is much needed.
---emily anderson

Erin said...

Thanks for the love, Ladies!
Linda - You need to pray for more courage for me, before I post about *that*. Ha!!

Erin said...

Thanks for the love, Ladies!
Linda - You need to pray for more courage for me, before I post about *that*. Ha!!

Stephanie said...

I need to go to love school too. Where do I sign up? ;)

stephanie@metropolitanmama.net