Momenator: Or, How I Got My Nickname...

Reading this chapter in our study, I had to duck my head and hide my eyes when I got to the part about "Do you want us to call down fire from heaven, Lord?" (See Luke 9:51-56) That is SO me!

My kids affectionately (or fearfully) call me "The Momenator"...a take on, well, you know...I can go from feminine to fiery in less than 10...nanoseconds.

Take for instance our little neighborhood bully seven years ago. I tolerated the little delinquent for some time...but the day she cornered my oldest daughter in the cul-de-sac and started pounding her...

I slapped on my sandals and stormed out the front door...feet pounding pavement and blood pounding in my ears. I spotted the little gang of vixens and zeroed in on the ring-leader. She took one look at me and let my daughter go...then stood toe to toe with me as I proceeded to describe to her what I would LOVE to do to her if I wasn't over 18 and what I WOULD do to her if she ever laid a hand on my kids again.

She never messed with them again...and her friends went the other way if they saw me coming...lot's of yelling and name-calling...but not a hand on any of them anymore.

Then there was the time I went shopping with my oldest sister this past Christmas. I got ready to snag a highly coveted parking space in a very crowded shopping mall, when another car made like to turn and swipe it from me. With steel in my jaw and a firm grip on the steering wheel, I showed him how NOT to barge in on my turf, and let him know with a cut of my eyes he'd better say "thank you" and move on down the road!

I was proud of those moments...until after the adrenaline washed away and the realization of how I must have appeared hit home. Until the Holy Spirit reminded me who's child I was and what mercy was supposed to feel like.

Oh, I know I would have been right there, calling down fire from heaven, just like in Old Testament Sodom and Gommorah..."How DARE they deny the Son of God a place to rest!!" ZZZAAAPPP!!

But Jesus shows me a better way. A way of peace and mercy, not wrath and anger. A way to salvation and redemption, not condemnation and judgment.

So, I've adopted this rule for me: How would I feel if this person came to visit my church? And then I try to act accordingly. It's kept me from snatching a lot of heads bald, let me tell you.

I'll still wear the Momenator badge proudly...one look and my kids fall in line. That's a power I won't deny. But I'll also exercise mercy and grace...and let Jesus fight my battles...

At least, I'll try to...

How about you??

Be blessed, and love the difficult ones...one of them might be me!!

Deena