Being sensitive

1. Non-fasting Fast Sunday. This Sunday was "Fast Sunday". At our church the first Sunday of the month is set aside for members to fast. We offer the money we save on the meals we fast to those who are in need. The empty stomachs, or humility, that come with fasting help us feel closer to the spirit and focus our prayers and thoughts to a meaning or purpose on that day. On Fast Sunday there are no prepared talks for our general meeting- instead, members who feel prompted, may stand and share their testimonies impromptu with the congregation. Well, since we have church at 9am every Sunday, I am usually rushing to make sure everyone, including myself, is ready for church on time. MOST of the time I end up forgetting to feed myself breakfast, or an unpurposeful fast, even on the non fast Sundays. Then after we get to church I realize I'm starving and that my stomach is grumbling- so this last Sunday after I finished getting some cereal for TJ, I spotted a muffin in the pantry left over from soccer game treats the day before. I grabbed it and started to eat, so proud of myself for remembering to feed myself. I carried it into the closet with me when getting my shoes, and bumped into Jake, who reminded me it was Fast Sunday! ARG! Oh well. So I went to church feeling bad that I was not participating in the fast (As a side note- I find it really hard to fast when I'm pregnant or nursing, which has been most of the last 10 years, so I've been working hard at getting back into a full, purposeful fast this last year). The Lord must have forgiven me though, because despite my non-fasting state I felt the spirit so much this Sunday. Jake even asked me twice if I was OK, or why I was crying (I get teary-eyed when I'm feeling the Spirit sometimes). I really did come home with my "lamp full". I love Sundays like that.

2. Jake had to tell me he saw a bad image today. After the kids were in bed we were talking and he proceeded to tell me he saw something that he wished he hadn't. When I asked why/how he told me that it was a complete accident, but that it left him feeling horrible, especially because he'd been trying to show two other employees something on the computer, and so had inadvertently exposed them to it as well. He said that he closed it as quickly as he could, and pulled them each aside later to apologize. Obviously this was very unintentional, but I'm SO THANKFUL I have a husband who is sensitive enough to feel bad when he sees something he knows is inappropriate, even when on accident, and that he feels it necessary to apologize and confess it. It led to a great conversation between us about how we can avoid pornography when possible, how we SHOULD be sensitive to it's various forms, how to talk about it with each other and with our kids, and how to increase protections against it for us and our family. I love him!

3. Teaching respectful speech. Dekker is in first grade, and learning all kinds of "cool" things from friends at school. Lately he has started practicing he slang, phrases, or tone with us at home. I guess it's funny some times- but lately it's become a bit much. In fact, I know he doesn't mean to, but he's started to sound very disrespectful to us in some of the things he says. It's not anything really bad, but he'll say "REALLY, Mom?!" with this incredulous tone, or "WOW!" in a sort of, "I can't believe you just said/did that" sort of way. Jake's corrected him a couple times lately, saying "Don't talk to us that way." But tonight Jake stopped to really try and explain it to him. Dekker confessed he didn't understand what it meant to be "disrespectful". Jake took the time to help him understand that the WAY we talk to people demonstrates how we see, or feel towards someone, and how how sarcasm or jokes that may be OK with friends, shouldn't be used towards parents or people you respect or look up to. Dekker got it, and said that he really wants to do better, and we can correct him when we hear him do it inappropriately. There are so many lessons to teach as a parent. I hope we get through to them on lessons such as these. Some times it's the little things that matter most.