On our way back to Maine from my trip to Va for a weekend, Gabbi got really sick, I mean diarrhea sick. I know too much info! So, I had gone in after my friend said Gabbi had an accident. It was not pretty nor did it smell like roses! 🙂 I asked Gabbi what was wrong and she explained how her stomach was hurting and how she was afraid of getting in trouble for having an accident. I was honestly a bit annoyed inside that this was happening because in my head, I was thinking, “this is going to be a LONG day in the car!” I really had to contain myself from being angry because of how Gabbi was standing there vulnerable, shaking and scared as to how I would react to her and her accident. Gently, I explained to her that it was better to tell me if she had an accident because she wasn’t feeling good than not tell me at all!
As I proceeded to clean her up-by the way, I was at a fast food restaurant in the bathroom with her, these women barge in with comments for all the world to hear:
“Shew! It stinks in here!”
“A courtesy flush would have been nice!”
“Someone needs to air out this bathroom! This is a public restroom for goodness sake!”
On and on they went with these comments and I so badly wanted to pipe up and say, “my little girl is sick and she cannot help it!”
But God, ever so loudly said to me, “Just don’t say anything! Keep encouraging Gabbi, she feels bad already and her heart is very tender right now!” So, I didn’t say a word, I just kept reassuring her that everything was going to be fine because I know she heard everything those women said! If you know anything about Gabbi, she is easily embarrassed! This situation did NOT help at all!
That day, I learned a lesson and I am learning this each day—even though I may do something wrong, I should never feel like I can’t come to God! I learned that God is so close and His heart is tender towards me and when I do mess up, my heart also becomes tender to correction–sometimes, I don’t take His correction right because of my attitude but He corrects me to help me learn! He doesn’t ever punish us according to what we deserve! He forgives us because He loves us! He wants to show us Grace!
“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” Psalm 103:10
Love this girl of mine!!
