Tired and Active

Today, I have been cracking up at the twins and how much they are imitating me. Will keeps telling me how sleepy he is. You know just as well as I do that most kiddos don't tell you how sleepy they are because they know that is a one way ticket to their bed! All day in the car though, he has been saying, "Mommas, Iz a sleeeeepppy boy" and his brother says, "Mommas, Iz tired." I wonder just how many times I have said this over the course of their life, because it has become such a regular part of their conversation over the past few weeks. In fact, I must say it quite often, because they are saying it just about after every comment. Their conversation is going something like this,
"mommas"
"mommas"
"Yes dear"
"mommas, tderes an aiplane"
"mommas, Iz sleepy"
"I saw that airplane. Isn't it cool?"
"mommas, tdats cool. Iz a sleepy boy."
"Are you sleepy?"
"Yeah mommas, Iz a sleepy boy."
"Did you see that train?"
"Tdats cool, momma. Like Thomas. Mommas, Iz a sleepy boy."
And so on. You get the point. Our conversation has made me try to think before I speak, because I am obviously making an impact on the imitating behavior aspect of parenting. My hubby had a funny experience the other day with them imitating him as well. He had gotten frustrated over something, at this point I don't remember what it was. (my brain is like an etch-a-sketch. There can be a wonderful picture or thought in my head to share, and somehow all the information in my head gets shaken up only to make the initial thought disappear!) Anyway, he said "deadgumit" and the boys kept saying, "gummit" for the rest of the night. As I was pondering these little things that make two year olds so cute, I couldn't help but think of all of my words and thoughts. What if these two little boys could imitate everything that comes from my mouth or goes through my head. Boy, was that a humbling tidbit! I am finding with age or possibly with lack of sleep, my thoughts can go from what I need to get at the store to thoughts I know God would be ashamed of. Hey, I am being honest. Maybe it is also because as you grow older you lose the innocent part of being young. All that is beside the point though. What I am getting at though is how much stuff goes through our heads. Imagine if we had a little person with a bullhorn on our shoulder telling everything that ever went through our heads. I am sure some of us would get a tighter reign of our thoughts and words! With all of this going through my head, I can't help but wonder what my kids pick up on that I say or do. I already see some of my bad habits and behaviors coming out in them and I do have to admit that it is so sad and humbling! I also read the passage today that talks about removing the log from my eye before trying to remove the splinter from anothers eye(Matthew 7:3-5). So, it made me think more of not trying to fuss at my kids when they imitate my bad behaviors, but to pray about my behaviors that need some serious attention, so that I can then help my children to work through their weaknesses in the same fashion. It is funny how I seem to see their weaknesses so easily, yet fail to see them so predominately in my own life. Pray that God will open my eyes as well as your own eyes to the things we do that are harmful in our children's lives. Let's not tell God we are "tired" in our walk of faith, but push ourselves to grow "actively" through His strength for the heart of Christ. Keep growing, sister!
Psalms 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.