5 Minute Friday - GRIT

{This picture has nothing to do with the post but I ran across it the other day and wanted to post it.  Feeling a little lonesome for this baby boy - he's getting so big now.}

Parenting is not for the faint of heart, the easily scared, the queasy of stomach.  Parenting is for those with grit, substance, perseverance, and character.  If you are curious as to whether or not you possess this “grit,” take a trip to Wal-mart with your children around lunch time.  Don’t feed them before you go and foolishly bring only one toy.  Watch the sibling rivalry turn heads in the Subway as they fight over who gets to sit in the high chair – the baby doll toy or the 2 ½ year old brother.  She will become shrilly because this is what she does when she’s hungry and he will cry because she is shrilly.  And I will order two kids meals and grit my teeth as the sandwich artist asks entirely too many questions.  At this point I just need the sandwiches.  Don’t care if their toasted.  Any cheese will do.  Do you really have to ask about the veggies?  Sandwiches please before someone starts swinging. 

It takes grit to get on your hands and knees later in the lunch to mop up the chocolate milk little sister spilled.  And when you see that it splashed on the elderly ladies foot behind you, it takes grit to wipe off her shoes while still on your hands and knees.  It takes grit to hold your tongue when the lady has no words of forgiveness for little sister who just apologized five times.  It takes grit to settle disputes and mop up milk all the while remembering to teach about repentence, forgiveness, and grace.   All at the lunch table in the middle of Wal-mart.  It takes grit…..

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Linking up late tonight.  Want to join me in writing for 5 minutes on "grit?"  Hop on over to GypsyMama....