THE BRAT WITHIN

Our small group is still making our way through this book.



I must admit my bias against this subject from the very beginning~after all I am ALL grown up. I refuse to admit to being stuck on a turntable on endless repeat.

Today a friend commented on my busyness.  It is difficult for me to sit still -UNLESS~ I am reading a book.  "Ants in my pants" is a good description of trying to sit and chill.  Most of my adult life I have had others comment on my constant state of motion.  I had this nagging sense if anyone else close was working-whatever their motive--I should not have idle hands.  I need to be up doing something also.



As our discussion progressed, she began talking about another friend who was never allowed to sleep late as a child or teen.  C L A N G  ~the bells went off.  My mother worked on Saturdays and my dad had passed away in my early teen years.  Before she left for work on Saturday mornings, we were all to be up and had our assigned tasks to keep us busy for the rest of the day.  If she worked, we all worked.  My older brother had a job in a grocery store on Saturday and left early in the morning.  My younger brother and I were left with a list of jobs to be completed before she returned.  NO sleeping for any of us---all hands were on deck---and there were no idle hands.  The only approved activity while sitting was reading a book.  WELL--what do you know--perhaps events in my childhood do still have a hold over me in my old age.  WHO KNEW?  God did, and with this one simple conversation, I was reminded of a behavior from childhood that has carried over all these years.




Without conscious effort to change, we are prone to repeat the lessons learned as children.  Example is a powerful teaching tool and some lessons learned are not good lessons.  The Word warns us of the sins of the father repeating generation after generation.  With introspection, I have broken the hold of many of the sins of my parents.  Hopefully, my children will not repeat my sin behaviors.  The first step is always asking God to reveal the sinful behavior being repeated in our lives.  Prepare yourself, if you ask with a willing heart, He will reveal what needs to be changed and it is not always pretty.  Our willingness is the first step to redemption and moving closer to what He desires for us.  

I am willing, but the child in me resists change---ONLY with His help will I be able to put away my childish behaviors and leave that brat within me behind.


The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.
Numbers 14:18

9 comments

  1. I'm not sure whether, or how, to comment on this post, Lulu. I thought of not commenting at all; and yet ... here goes:

    Yes, we are influenced by our up-bringing and childhood. I know I have been deeply affected by mine. But then, you equate being busy as a sin, (your penultimate paragraph). I'm not sure you meant to say it that way. Yes, you picked up some habits from your childhood but they are not all bad. Being busy, especially in your case helping others less fortunate than yourself, is laudable not a sin. I wish I had your energy.

    In my case, my busyness seems to be in my mind. My brain is constantly switched on thinking, analysing, mentally writing, re-writing and correcting words, almost non-stop. That's how my posts/books seem to be written. A sin? Bad habit? Blessing? Curse? Who knows ... I need a Guinness.

    God bless.

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    1. No, Victor, I don’t consider busyness a sin, but merely an example of how my childhood has played an important role in my life. Sorry for my confusing post. As I reread it, I actually wondered if it was misleading. The repeated sin patterns are much more serious- alcoholism runs through my gene pool- so I very rarely partake. Some families have unhealthy anger patterns, some have abuse, and the list goes on. The point of the post is recognizing my childhood has had an impact on my entire life. Sorry for the confusion I created by not clarifying the subject. I am always thankful for your comments, My Friend.
      Blessings!

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    2. I understand, Lulu. Yes, some sin patterns in families do affect children for life. Thank God, my parents were very caring and sacrificed a lot for their children.

      God bless.

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  2. you're prompting me to pull this book off my dusty shelf and do a thorough re-read, Lulu.

    ;-}

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    1. It has caused me to think!
      Blessings, My Friend!

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  3. OK. I reread this twice. I do feel the need to always be busy. While I’m watching TV, I’m knitting or painting or maybe doing some art project. I’ve even written my blog with watching the boob tube. My mom, too, was always busy...even into her last years (she lived to be 101). I’m a lot like her in so many ways. So, with that said, am I willing to change...do I want to change...don’t know. Thanks for posting. It has definitely infiltrated my thoughts.

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    1. I thought Mona’s comment referring to The Word, Be still and know that I am God, was poignant. Stillness I will have to learn!
      Blessings, My Friend!

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  4. Oh, yes, Lulu, I firmly believe that what we learn in childhood, for better or for worse, goes with us far into adulthood. One thing that stuck with me for years was learned from my father - get up early!!! No sleeping about, even on the weekends. Actually, it served me well when I was working and had to get children up and off to school. Now that I've retired, I do allow myself to turn over a time or two in the mornings, but can never, ever "sleep-in." As for busyness? I've learned that it's okay to simply be still and be with God - and that was a tough one to learn!
    Blessings to you!

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    1. Thank you for contributing to the conversation, Martha! Now that I am retired and can sleep- I can’t sleep😖. Funny how life plays out!
      Blessings, My Friend!

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!