Self Control...

Yes, self control is a very important lesson we've been teaching our children.

It's something that I myself am working on as well.  Especially in situations when my children are watching me be the example...

...but there are those moments...

...those moments when I seem to have forgotten what self control is...

...those moments like today at the grocery store.

My favorite grocery store (I might as well add) overcharged me for the second time in a row and both times I found out after I've gotten the kids strapped back into their car seats (of course). As important as self control ...there is peace...make peace and get my money back right? Last week I didn't go back, I just figured everyone makes mistakes and it's probably not worth getting the kids back out of the car for.

So today I unloaded the kids and headed back in...this should be easy enough. I was feeling a little annoyed, but pretty easy minded... Oh how quickly that all changed when the cashier completely took advantage of my situation. She didn't think that being overcharged $1 per pound for organic apples was a reasonable complaint AND made it seem as though I asked her to swim across the English channel to find a manager who could help her refund my money. 

At that point Jude started screaming in the grocery cart and at that same moment Lula NEEDED a drink that I didn't have for her ...sooooooo with my best judgment, self control was not an option. I stormed out of there after telling the cashier that she was wasting my time and to keep MY money.

It would have been so much better if I were a four year old so I could've told that cashier how I really felt about her and got away with it.

But I'm not a four year old, I'm an adult who is responsible for teaching my children self control by example. So Lula and Jude,  I'm sorry that I missed this opportunity to teach you the best way I could have.
Self control is however one of the 9 fruits of the spirit and is extremely important. It happens to be the last of the fruits to be listed (Galatians 5:22). As you read them off I think it's meant to be the last to leave your lips...just so it's not forgotten as easily.

Well, life's like a Bruster's ice cream cone... if you don't gain control, it'll melt all over the place.