It was a hot summer day, somewhere in the middle of the three months, highly anticipated, vacation break. My four kids had been enjoying the freedom of our new beautiful home, all the new neighbor friends, and just a laid-back schedule in general. They were living their best life!
I had just picked up and put away my grocery order for the week, deep cleaned my kitchen and left the kids to fend for themselves while I attended to other chores in other rooms.
As time goes by, I can hear all kinds of commotion in the rest of the house. The sounds of laughter and running, cartoons blaring, a little screaming…
Now, I may not be normal… but I truly don’t enjoy the sounds of my children laughing. There were moments when they were tiny where the giggles made we swoon, but with four kids, and the noise, (whether good or bad) always being CONSTANT… my nerves tend to be easily irritated.
So, I go, huffing into the main rooms, rolling my eyes, about to raise my voice to silence them. My two oldest were wrestling on the floor, screaming, tickling, possibly spitting, and my two littlest were glued to the tv, the volume up about eight notches too loud.
But before I could yell to put a stop to the madness, my gaze drifts to the kitchen and takes in a horrific sight…about ten colorful puddles of popsicle syrup littered my freshly mopped kitchen floor! Along with a pair of scissors!
You see, I like to surprise my kids with special treats and toys from time to time. I often clean their rooms while they are away or pick up little rewards just because! And that day I had purchased a box of 70 popsicles to freeze and enjoy. I had just put them away, so they were still in liquid form and my little kids had taken it upon themselves to open a few while I was out of the room, they’re little minds probably didn’t comprehend what would happen as soon as they snipped the tops of these tasty treats! Yet there were my big kids, oblivious and blind to the whole thing!
I was FURIOUS!
Have you ever been so angry that everything turns to a blur? Well, that was me at that moment.
I remember reaching for a small dishrag to clean up the huge sticky mess! (I clearly needed a mop!) I shouted for all the kids to come to the kitchen immediately.
I reach for the freezer drawer, (which I might remind you, I had just deep cleaned and bleached earlier that morning) pulled it open only to find more opened popsicles and more colorful liquid puddles inside.
Something inside me snapped.
I morphed into a crazy person and began picking up handfuls of UNFROZEN popsicles and throwing them as hard as I could on the tile floor.
SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!
With each handful, I shouted, “I AM SO ANGRY! I AM SO ANGRY! I AM SO ANGRY!”
SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!
Until every popsicle had been popped and the freezer was empty.
I remember looking at the floor. It was a sea of colors. I remember looking up at my children. Their eyes were wide and mouths hanging open.
What had just happened?!
My oldest two scurried to find towels, and one grabbed the mop.
It was about this time that I began to sob. “Mommy hates messes.” I cried. “Mommy hates messes.”
We cleaned up the kitchen together, and I was completely defeated.
When I think back on this moment, I think what Mommy hates the most isn’t the messes.
It’s herself.
“Mommy hates messes.” Yes… I was already on edge with my children. Spending hours upon hours with kids can wear a person out! I hated the mess, but I also hated that I lost control and let myself get so ANGRY.
The Bible says:
“A shortsighted fool always loses his temper and displays his anger, but a wise man uses self-control and holds it back.”
Proverbs 29:11 AMP
And how foolish I looked. Even my children were SHOCKED at my foolishness.
Our emotions are never to rule over us. We are to be the master of our responses and reactions.
“But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not even for a day.”
Eph 4:26
As Christians, it should be a daily (sometimes hourly) goal to produce the Fruit of the Spirit.
LOVE.
JOY.
PEACE.
PATIENCE.
KINDNESS.
GOODNESS.
FAITHFULNESS.
GENTLENESS.
AND SELF CONTROL.
All of these fruits are the opposite of anger and rage.
Anger is undisciplined, unfocused, and unyielding. Some BOTTLE it up, while others BLOW it up. [insert fist bump here] Both are super unhealthy!
Now, you may not have children at home, but we all have those moments where we question our sanity and ask ourselves, “Why did I say that? Why did I react that way? How could I have handled that better? How can I be a peacemaker?”
“There is nothing that anger can do; that love can’t do better!” (From the book “Triggers”)
“Never hold a grudge or try to get even, but plan your life around the noblest way to benefit others. Do your best to live as everybody’s friend. Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say: “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,” says the Lord. And: If your enemy is hungry, buy him lunch! Win him over with kindness. For your surprising generosity will awaken his conscience, and God will reward you with favor.”
Romans 12:17-20
The best way to manage your emotions and grow in love is to first REPENT for allowing anger to control you. Secondly, spend time in God’s word. Pray and ask God to build you up and help you produce the fruits of gentleness and self-control. Practice patience and speak over yourself that you are slow to anger. James 1:19-20
And on those days where you just can’t quite cut it, and you feel like a failure, turn on some worship and praise music and remember we are forgiven and loved by our Heavenly Father. Every day is a new day, and his mercies are new every morning! (Lamentations 3:22 MSG)
If you have wronged someone, be quick to apologize, and if someone has wronged you, be quick to forgive! Forgiveness leads to blessings!
“Finally, beloved friends, be cheerful! Repair whatever is broken among you, as your hearts are being knit together in perfect unity. Live continually in peace, and God, the source of love and peace, will mingle with you.”
2 Corinthians 13:11 TPT
Written by Rachael Strickland
