Lessons from a blue marker
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.
And so, instead of speaking words of frustration to my daughter, I inwardly thanked the Lord for another opportunity to learn of His love and forgiveness towards me. I smiled at Kathrynne, quietly explained to her that she was not to play with the blue marker again, and had her help me scrub it off. No, it didn't completely come off (maybe a Mr. Clean Eraser might do the trick?), but it doesn't matter to me anymore. After all, what difference is a little blue marker going to nake in ten or twenty years from now?
This is the stuff motherhood is made up of. It's not an easy job. It means laying down my life, my time, my wants, my plans, myself - even my almost-new kitchen tile. But what better way to more deeply understand how much Christ has given on my behalf than in the little, daily things like blue marker on my 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.
And so, instead of speaking words of frustration to my daughter, I inwardly thanked the Lord for another opportunity to learn of His love and forgiveness towards me. I smiled at Kathrynne, quietly explained to her that she was not to play with the blue marker again, and had her help me scrub it off. No, it didn't completely come off (maybe a Mr. Clean Eraser might do the trick?), but it doesn't matter to me anymore. After all, what difference is a little blue marker going to nake in ten or twenty years from now?
This is the stuff motherhood is made up of. It's not an easy job. It means laying down my life, my time, my wants, my plans, myself - even my almost-new kitchen tile. But what better way to more deeply understand how much Christ has given on my behalf than in the little, daily things like blue marker on my kitchen tile?
posted by Crystal Paine at 8:00 PM
26 Comments:
This reminds me of a man at church who told about his daughter drawing pictures on paper on his brand new desk; she pushed too hard on the pencil and it made marks on his desk. He got mad at her when it happened, but now she's grown with her own daughter, he still has the desk with pencil indentions and wouldn't trade them for anything.
I re-learn that lesson often!
when my now 3 yr old was about 18 months, he often wrote on the walls (usually with pencil). After being reprimanded, he helped clean it off. Big mistake! He enjoyed the cleanup a bit too much & would write on things other than paper, then say, "it's okay, I'll clean it up." We had to have him NOT help clean it up to stop the writing! now, it's the 2 yr old....
Those Mr Clean sponges are amazing! I sorta don't want to know what's in them ~ if I find out they're bad for you, I'll have to stop using them......
Tracy in AR
Try nail polish remover.
How thankful I am that He does not treat us as our sins deserve.
Can I hear an "Amen"!?!?! That was so true and so beautiful. Good work.
I do hope you find something to get that marker off. I personally have not used the Mr Clean dry eraser but I heard it gets just about everything out. Try a little bit of bleach? Or how about a baking soda paste?
Even though your daughter is young you were still a testimony to her in that you didn't yell at her or use harsh words against her even though you wanted too. I give you kudos for that! :)
Heaven knows I get testy with my DH somtimes (because he rarely picks up after himself, and I feel like I am picking up after a child every day), and there were times I said stuff that I can never take back (no wonder the Bible talks about the tounge so much...it surely is unruly), but I ask for forgiveness from DH and God and pray that for that meek and quiet spirit that I yearn and desire.
God Bless You!
Oh but Crystal, you weren't disobeying when you accidentally reversed into the house - it was an accident. And Kathryne is still very young for remembering to obey a one-time instruction from one day to another. We tend to repeat the same instruction over and over - we did this with matches and candles, and now we can actually leave a box of matches on the table, have him think we're out of sight and he won't touch them.
I think you did a fabulous job of showing grace to your little girl. Well done!
Thank you, thank you for this. This is exactly what I needed. Today is my last day at work and tomorrow I start a new life as a SAHM. I have been feeling a little overwhelmed lately wondering how I am going to manage and this spoke right to me. Thank you, again.
Crystal -
What unusual means the Lord often uses in teaching us the lessons He has for us! I, too, often struggle to lay aside "me" in order to do what would be most glorifying to "Him". :)
However, your post seems to be comparing apples and oranges - at least partially. There is a big difference between an accident (mistakenly hitting the wrong pedal while learning to drive), and disobedience (marking on things even after been instructed not to).
Now, of course we always have to take the age of our child into consideration. However, you will find that it doesn't take them very long to start exhibiting the sin nature that we all KNOW is lurking just beneath the surface.
And I will point out that while the Lord is always gracious and merciful to us when repentant, He is also firm and strict and can discipline in ways that are definitely not sweet and nice. Indeed that is a mark of a true child of God, when He disciplines us.
Best of luck hiding the markers in a more inaccessible place today!
Might I suggest borax and water paste? That may do the trick. Or baking soda and a bit of water.
Good luck...this is a lesson we all learn. Over and over and over and over....
Isn't the Lord amazing?
What a beautiful post, Crystal! Just what I needed to read this morning. Yes, I forget all the time of the immeasurable forgiveness granted by our Lord to me on a daily, no minute-by-minute, basis. I would do well to remember this as I too feel my anger start to rise over a misdeed by my 2 year old. I also need to remember how much SHE is learning of Christ's forgiveness and mercy by my reactions to her actions. God bless your day!
I realized after reading some of the comments this morning that I had left out a few sentences when writing this post in my pregnancy fog brain which made it rather confusing (disobedience vs. accident thing). I added those in and hopefully it is a bit clearer what I was meaning to convey. Then again, maybe not. :)
This reminds me of the story Stepping Heavenward. What impressed me most in this story was the mother. She was always calm and responded with patience, and usually in slience...overlooking her daughter's immaturity, knowing that it would one day come.
Did you take any pictures of your little blue child?
Every parent has these stories, and they are the ones that will be brought up for MANY years at hoilday gatherings and everyone will laugh!
Lovely, insightful post.
The Mr Clean Magic Eraser will probably get the marker off your tile, but do NOT allow Kathryn to use it - they have been known to cause chemical burns on tender children's skin.
Try Goo Gone if the Magic Eraser doesn't work - it's removed the oddest things for me!
One of my sons got into White out a few weeks ago and painted around his younger brothers eyes. It was very interesting because you have to wait for it to wear off, it did not come off.
I have marker that is supposed to come off, and some not, but will not come off at all with anything I have rubbed on it.
Alot of it is we teach them to draw and then they see this large blank spaces and try to color there too. It only happens a couple times, they learn and we are done, but the marks remain for a long time.
Our frustration can go on for a long time also- we can be frustrated for only a minute, but the anger can affect children for much longer.
Try regular toothpaste to take the marker off. Can't be the gel kind, just the regular stuff. When my middle daughter was 4 she wrote her name all over the hardwood floor in black Sharpie marker! Thankfully a friend told me to try toothpaste, and it came off very easily. I would think if it works for a Sharpie it would work for dry erase.
Wow, Crystal. What challenging thoughts. And to me it 'dove-tailed' a quote from Amy Carmichael I've been pondering about looking for a 'chance to die'. How daily those opportunities arise! Thank you for your encouragement!!
What a wonderful example of "To whom much is given(the grace and mercy of redemption), much is required.". God spoke to my heart muchly through your sharing, Crystal; grateful am I.
There is dry erase board cleaner that may help if other measures(rubbing alcohol, toothpaste, acetone/nail polish remover, baking soda, auto rubbing compound) fail.
We had something similar to a Basic Doodle Pro that might interest.
Lovely post Crystal :). I had a lesson in forbearance the other day when I found my almost-two-year-old had dropped several large peices of potpourri in the diaper pail and now my boy child's diapers are stained pink...
Those Magic Erasers are amazing! About six months ago the same child (she's third out of four and our most adventure seeking so far ;))wrote all over the floor and a chair with a permanant marker and it came right off of everything with a Magic Eraser. I usually prefer more natural cleaners but with a particularly stubborn stain they work great!!! She wrote on herself too and I didn't think a Magic Eraser was the answer there ;). A sweet lady heard about my dilema in my blog post plea for help and the rubbing alcohol she suggested worked wonderfully. I had already rubbed so much, I think that is why she hasn't done it again ;).
By the way, I loved Jeana's story in the first post! I have just such pencil indentations in my dining room table (Ummm, yep, same child...) and a whole new way to look at them now :).
Your sentiments and observations about yourself are very touching. I'm so glad you shared this with us, and I am inspired to look differently at the 'blue markers' that my own children use!
I was re-reading some of the comments and your post and remembered when I got married and left home and was far away for Thanksgiving. One thing that always irritated me was there was always finger marks in the top of of the pumpkin pies. No matter how we guarded them, checked etc. somehow we would have one through a crack. I was far away for Thanksgiving and you know, I had perfect pies, no finger marks for the first time in years, but I really missed my little brother who made the marks, much more than I enjoyed the perfect pies. Wouldn't you know that now that some of us have children that I do not feel as upset over finger marks in the pie, because one day they will grown up and gone and we will have perfect pies. (This is not to say not to train them not to do this....just something I learned)
Also, Tracy, i did the same thing with my son, having him clean it up. He had so much fun, he wrote on the window again so he would clean it up!
I recommend Cascade dish washing soap (liquid kind) will get any stain out as long as its a color fast surface.
I was busy in the kitchen and my three year old was playing in the front room. He came into the kitchen and said, "Mommy, come look. I made the stair carpet all pretty for you!" He had colored the entire thing bright pink with sidewalk chalk. I spent a good hour getting the carpet clean. I had taught him not to color on the walls with crayons, but I never thought to tell him not to color carpet with chalk. Oh well, we live and we learn....Mrs. G
First, you are so sweet! You're teaching your daughter patience. Second, I used to get crayon off my walls with WD40. Maybe this would work with dry-erase marker? I'd test a little spot first before trying it on the whole thing.
You know, when my kids (ages 2 and 3) do things like this and I am left with the permanent residual stains/scrapes on the walls and floors/etc., I just try to look at those marks and think, "Thank the Lord for those - it means we have children in the house!" Not always easy to do at the time, but it actually brings a smile to my face later.
Valerie
This was beautiful, Crystal. How thankful I am that God does not deal with us as our sins deserve!
I found out that rubbing alcohol will remove dry erase marker, but so will drawing over it again with the marker and wiping off right away. Not on her, but on the floor!
Post a Comment
<< Home