Choosing the Higher Ground

Sometimes I feel like such a hypocrite! I want my children to do one thing, the RIGHT thing, and yet when I am faced with the same opportunity, my selfishness rears it's ugly head.

I LOVE Newman's Own Organics Wintergreen Mints. I know we are not supposed to love things, but these are GOOD! And unfortunately a rare treat.

So my daughter is looking for a crayon and comes across the mints. I pick them up and open them up to see if there are any left. Five mints left. Enough for each of the girls and myself.

Oh, but I really did NOT want to give my girls the mints.

A selfish mother will raise up kids who are selfish. No matter how many times she tries to TELL them what is right, they will see and learn from her behavior. It is amazing how much you learn about dying to self once you are a parent.

So I reached in to give AA a mint, and thoughtful one she is, she asked for a mint for each of her sisters. So there go three mints, in the hands of a smiling little girl who is learning and seeing that selflessness blesses others so much more than selfishness. Now if only I can remember that so that it become second nature instead of a forced act. :) And I need to remember to have patience with my children while they mentally sort through the act of selflessness, just as I just did. May it become second nature for us all. :)