Discipline

I had just pulled in the driveway after three hours of parent teacher
conferences.?? I was driving home feeling encouraged.?? Not everything the
teachers said was encouraging, but a lot of it was, and I felt excited about
brainstorming ways to support those kids who are not doing as well.?? I opened my

car door, or rather my car door was opened for me, by several people that had
something important to tell me or ask me.?? ???What time are we leaving to climb
the mountain?????? ???Who???s driving us to church?????? ???I just threw up.????? And then from

a care giver the story of how two of the girls had been disobedient and
disrespectful.?? All my excitement vanished and I felt overwhelmed and
frustrated.?? I responded as best as I could to all the questions, mostly by
saying ???I don???t know.????? I knew I had to address the situation with the two
girls, but I was feeling my heart beating fast and I thought ???I???VE GOT TO GET
ALONE.????? I came into the office and locked the door.?? When we are weak is when
God can make us strong.?? Sometimes all I can do is repeat over and over whatever

is on my heart at that moment until I feel like he gives me the strength to
stand up again.?? Sometimes it???s ???I can???t do this alone, I need you??? or ???I need
your wisdom??? or sometimes simply ???HELP.?????

Before calling the girls in to talk about what they???d done and what their
discipline would be, I decided to read My Utmost for His Highest. ??I???m always
shocked at how that devotional seems to say exactly what I need to hear.?? The
title for August 14th is ???The discipline of the Lord.????? Before I disciplined,
God wanted to talk to be about His discipline in my life.?? Hebrews 12:5 says,
???My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you
are rebuked by Him.????? Just like the kids, I am a work in progress, God, my
father loves me and is ever patient with me and that is why he disciples me.?? He

is at work creating a vessel to pour His son into.?? And actually, he???s already
poured Jesus into us, but there are still cracks and holes to patch up in order
for Jesus to fully live in us.??

My prayer is that God would continue the work he has started in me, and in our
children at Love and Hope, and in all of His children, that Jesus can live
again, now, through us.??