The Mosquito...

Mosquitos...those pesky little guys often take their bite out of you leaving you miserable and itchy.  People can be that way too. Ever have those conversations with someone where no matter what you are doing it is never right? You are never doing enough and you should always be doing more. When you hang up the phone with them feeling defeated and start questioning your whole being and everything you do. Yep...a mosquito. Taking their bite out of you. Instantly going into panic mode that your kids are going to turn out to be some sort of oval shaped individual instead of the perfectly rounded one said person has all the answers on how to create. You should do this or that. They should do this or that, be a part of this, go to that, make them do this...all I can say is that this side of heaven I will never have it right. I won't have all the right answers, scenarios, and parenting skills to be the perfect individual to create the next perfect individual. It won't happen. I don't want to be a mosquito...quick to take a bite. I don't walk in their shoes and they don't walk in mine! Maybe instead we should point out all the things they are doing well and be less quick to judge. Hey the kids are fed and clothed today...some days that's a lot! I have had the life sucked out of me at times. Turning into a great big welt. Miserable from all those quick little bites...when I need to be a duck. Letting it all slide right off my back. We are so quick to judge others. Never having taken a step in their shoes but we have all the answers for them. Dear Jesus let me not be a mosquito sucking the life out of others and judging them. I'm guilty of it for sure. Let me lift them up with praise and admiration. Let me put wind under their wings so that they can soar instead of a rock tied to the ankles in defeat. Give us the strength to love when we don't feel like it and give when we don't want to.

 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Romans 14:19

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29