Lessons from a Blue Marker: Learning to Love and Overlook My Child's Shortcomings

Kathrynne got into the blue dry erase marker again this morning. This time it wasn't just on her person, she skipped the carpeted stairs (where it comes off relatively easy) and went straight for the kitchen tile.

As all other activities halted while I spent near thirty minutes on my hands and knees trying to scrub the stubborn marker stains off our nearly-new light-colored tile, many thoughts were swirling around in my head. At first, I was frustrated. Frustrated to have my morning interrupted, frustrated to have my tile perhaps permanently stained, frustrated that Kathrynne would get into the marker for the second time after she'd already been told not to earlier in the week.

I felt this frustration turning to irritation and anger at my daughter and it almost started to boil out in unkind words when I caught myself. The Lord reminded me of my own parents. How many times had they loved me and overlooked my shortcomings? They never gave up on me when I, yet again, disobeyed and had to be disciplined. They always forgave me when I broke something or ruined something. What about the time when I was 15 and just learning to drive when I unthinkingly put the car in drive instead of reverse when trying to back out of the driveway? Their home still bears the damage I did that day and yet they never seem bothered by the missing bricks or extra large flowerpot put there to cover it up somewhat. And I was 15 not two.

I couldn't help but also think of my Heavenly Father. How many times I disobey and dishonor Him. I fall down, I make mistakes, I seek my own will. But He never stops loving me, forgiving me, or patiently correcting me. Here I was feeling so frustrated at my daughter over a little thing like some blue marker on the kitchen tile and forgetting how much I've been forgiven.