A little "heavenly" intervention?

Tonight as he was getting ready for bed, Jake mentioned that he was feeling worried about his SEP tomorrow. (SEP = Parent/Teacher conference)  A little while later he mentioned it to his dad too. And then he mentioned it a couple of more times.  Finally after we got the girls to bed we sat down to talk to him and try to figure out just what it was that had him so worried.  His big concern was a class project about animals where they made a book. Jake feels he doesn't have very good gluing skills, because in one part of his book he glued a couple of pages together and when he tried to pull them apart a page ripped quite badly. He is worried that he will get a bad grade on it.

My first thought was, "Really? I don't have the emotional resources for this kind of drama right now..."

Then I opened my mouth and lovingly told Jacob that neither his father or I care what grade he gets, as long as he earns it honestly and is trying his very best. I know there was an angel sitting on my shoulder, helping me find the right words to tell him we will always be proud of him and talking him calmly through his worries and fears.

I was not in a good frame of mind earlier this evening and if you had told me that I would be having one of these talks with Jake later on I probably would have growled.... or muttered... or said something I shouldn't.  But once we started to talk the irritation and short temper disappeared, to be replaced with a patient and loving voice. Honestly it was a little "body-snatcher"-ish. But I am grateful for the tender mercy of someone putting kind words in my mouth when I didn't think I had any kind words left to give.

I am determined to spend this week letting go of my expectations and just loving my family the way they are. Because the way they are is pretty darn good.