100 Days to Brave, day 8: You Aren't a Mistake

This one is tricky, right?
In that unexplainable way that we can believe for Every. Other. Person. what we have difficulty believing for ourselves.
We are no mistakes.

My oldest son started calling himself a bad boy. He would be sent to his room after not listening and I would tell him to stay there until he was ready to make better choices.
It is important that you know that Zeplin is one of the world's sweetest kiddos.
Sweet-est.
More than once he stayed upstairs when he should have already have had made his way back downstairs. But he didn't. He remained up there, sitting on his bed.

"What's going on, buddy? Why are you still up here?" I would ask.
"Because I am a bad boy". He responded.
And I nearly lost my breath.
"No, not at all. You're a great boy. Incredible. You made a bad choice, but that choice does not define you. It does not make you bad."

He would shake his head and cry, repeating to us both that he was a bad boy. A bad boy.

As his mother, I knew he was wrong. I knew that he heard that lie somewhere and adopted it into his heart and mind. I knew that he was in pain.

I tried asking him why he said that and where he heard it. I rationalized that, if I knew the source, I could better combat it. Better speak into his situation. 
And the kicker is this- I do know the source.
The source is the enemy of our souls- a thief and a liar.

Every night we pray together. I love the time, when I am mindful of it, because I do not rush it. It is their hair, all three of my sons, haphazardly lying on their pillows. And their legs, sticking out of their blankets for a little cool air.

It is the way Demitri will fall asleep first and we will giggle and be still so we can all 

hear the sweet sounds of his slumber. 

It is the way Zeplin will hold on to me when I give him his good-night hug 

and he won't easily let me go. 

And the way Thatcher will be so still and we will all think he has fallen asleep,

 but when a quick glance at him leaves me unsure I always whisper, 

"Thatcher, are you still awake?". And precious as can be, he'll always answer, "no". 

To this, Zeplin and I will laugh and it is good and refreshing for us both. 

Zeplin is no mistake. He is no "bad boy".



(picture source)

Annie's challenge today: 

Be Brave: Remind someone you love 

-a friend, partner, child, spouse- that God doesn't make mistakes. 

Zep, you are my firstborn and the reason my heart beats. I love you to the moon and back in a rocketship. You are a good boy. A dearly-loved boy. You are important and you are a child of God. There is nothing more worth-while, no compliment higher in stature. 

God does not make mistakes. You are no mistake. You are amazing. 

  

-Make it a priority today to remind someone you love that God does not make mistakes.