Love

Last night Maggie made the decision to bite Miller just before bedtime. Jeff and I were pretty upset because we are trying to teach Miller not to bite, hit, and shove, and when Maggie does those things to him, it fuels the fire. She got sent to bed immediately. She was pretty hysterical; she doesn’t like getting in trouble (a lot like both of her parents). And I don’t like putting her to bed thinking we’re upset with her. I knelt by her bed to give her good-night hugs and help her say her prayers, and she couldn’t calm down. I explained to her, as I have many times before, that we still love her just as much when she makes a bad decision, but that we want her to make good decisions.

I couldn’t help but think about how many more times I have been disobedient to my Heavenly Father and how much more He loves me—so much so that He gave his own son’s life so that I could be saved. I never really understood that sacrifice until I had children of my own. I think about how much Jeff and I love our children, and then I think about how much more God loves us. It's hard to understand how a love that vast could exist. But it does. And I am thankful every day for it. I am so thankful for the sweet children Jeff and I have been given, and it is my earnest prayer that God will teach us daily how to better show HIS love to them.