Mutashabih

Greetings y'all :

Yesterday I rather flippantly said I don't know what the future brings after bragging about how successful my wee bonnie lad was over the weekend. Call it pride or karma but I had an inkling that the day was going to be challenging. It was. Did I set it up by boasting ? The universe prefers I humbly think if others and neither boast nor brag.

I faced several challenges through out the day but managed to keep things from getting explosive. I had my kid gloves on through our the day, with my head on a swivel . ( yes I realized I'm looking at a bad day today based on my braggadocio but this is an honest blog about honest feelings and events and life ain't all lollipops and ice cream ) I'm far from perfect, no where near it . But I tend to choose the non-combative non- confrontational approach. Any other approach would not be honest to who I am. Yesterday reflective and active listening coupled with having some campers do "quiet cove" really worked. Gotta play each scenario as it comes. Life is improv!

Whilst I was wheedling my way through the mine fields of the day my progeny was whining and railing. Seems an incident on Friday was worse than I thought and even though he had consequences for it on Friday the head honcho was not there and thus found about it on Monday. The situation was revisited and my son became oppositional, not sure I can reframe it in a positive manner. He became agitated , who am I kidding ? He became volcanic . Sadly rather doing what any respectful and responsible adult would do he denied and cried and tried to hide from it. In his eight year old mind the past was in the past , he handled the consequences when it happened.

We talked last night, role played scenarios of accepting responsibility and moving on. But while he was talking out his game plan, what would and would not work based if I do this then, he suddenly looked up at confused puppy eyes and asked I do I know when it's over and I can move forward. I was at a loss for words , for the second time that day. He said something very similar to that as we pulled away from camp.

I have no answer, within the confines of our relationship we address something, face the music, and move on. But I can't control outside scenarios, situations and consequences. Granted I still don't have all the facts from all the parties so I'm not fully able to grasp the breadth and depth of what went down . I'll find out more today.

What I do know is that it's better to give a mea culpa and strive to make amends rather than deny and hide from our mistakes or sins. That, obviously will be today's lessons. Own your words, thoughts and actions. Right words , right thoughts , right actions.

Very sweetly, when it was time for me break fast, he asked why put others before me. Why would I feed him through out the evening the give him first helping when I hadn't eaten all day? Why give him the lions share of my dinner then nibble on carrots and grapes? Well one reason is its a parents duty ( which I joyfully embrace) secondly I was not starving, thirdly self sacrifice is not a bad thing and lastly I taught the definition of JOY is putting Jesus first then Others then Yourself. He found it funny I even let Carl eat before me. Who's Carl ? He's the imaginary third party in our role playing if Xander doesn't want to his son the stuffed snake,Fred, involved. Hey dads gotta do what a dads gotta do ,

Oddly even after yesterday's fabulous fiasco from Friday I am optimistic today. Each second of each day brings renewed hope. We can talk theories until we are blue in the face ( by the way I look good in blue, no really it brings out my blue eyes, blonde hair and sun tan - TMI ?)but the onus is in transitioning from theory to application .

Go face the day with a strong mind and a gentle soul, with a gentle mind and a strong soul. " Remember we're all in this together" Red Green

Thanks for stopping by folks. FYI - the title of today's journal translates , albeit roughly , to ambiguous.