Blaring Horns

 "When you are convinced of the higher battle you are in, you will commit to the higher calling you have."

I live within walking distance of a fairly large intersection. A highway that runs from Monroe through Conyers, and on, runs right by our house.

At the intersection there is a traffic light.

We can hear the brakes of the tractor trailers that don't prepare to stop ahead of time.

However, the scarier thing we hear, and at least once a day, is the sound of the horn of a tractor trailer.

I can tell you the horn means they can't stop.

They know they are supposed to.

They may even consider it for a moment.

But they know they won't be able to stop in time.

They blare the horn as they approach the intersection and they run the light.

We've gone over this with both of our teen drivers. You don't move at that red light (even if the idiot behind you honks at you relentlessly) until you see the cross traffic come to a stop.

This week Peanut and I have been struggling with pieces of her school. If it isn't perfect, she doesn't want to finish it.

I only have one very firm school principal.

Grit.

I don't get caught up on grades. Or how quickly my kids move through subject areas. Or much about the specifics.

But I do care about the EFFORT they put forth.

I care that they do their best and they continue to try even when things are hard. Especially when things are hard.

So, this is my 18 wheeler approaching a red light moment.

I can feel my parenting shifting when this button is pushed.

I want to stop.

I even blare my horn and remind her that we do our best. We don't quit.

But somehow, I always end up running the red light.

I lose my temper. I say things I don't mean, and definitely won't enforce. How many consequences can you toss out for not writing down 3 sentences?

The problem for me is now I've run the red light.

I can't undo it.

I can't change the damage I called by my over reaction.

The only thing I can do is know that for me, this is tractor trailer approaching a red light thing.

As she and I hit areas where I can tell she's beginning to struggle, and that I can foresee she's going to want to quit - I can put on the brakes then.

I can stop BEFORE I react.

So that I can respond.

I think in many of our relationships we can take time to notice our own tractor trailer moments.

We can prepare ourselves and teach ourselves to brake ahead of time.

To slow down when we see the light the turn yellow.

Maybe it's commenting on every political post.

Or maybe it's the sibling jabs that always go too far.

Or maybe it's the habit of a coworker.

Mama Warriors, I'd hedge that we all have at least one tractor trailer button in our lives.

I've been listening to a sermon series on finding courage recently.

I think it takes courage to make changes.

And courage is found deep in your soul.

And your well in your soul can only be truly filled by faith.

Draw from your well.

Embrace your strength.

Change your reactions.