When I was growing up I was always such a quiet girl. I would literally get physically ill when I was faced with speaking up about anything. *One year I was voted “Quietest Girl” and my best friend Sherry was voted “Loudest Girl” — Go Figure*
After Denise was born she was very sick. We were constantly in and out of the hospital with her. One time in particular when she was so tiny, her IV had come out. The nurses had tried -repeatedly- to restart the IV. It reached a point where she just quit crying and was lying spent in my arms.
My Mom was there with me and I finally looked at them and said, “That is ENOUGH! You will just have to find another way to give her medicine! And she is hungry so someone better is finding me a bottle!”
The nurses all scurried away (I wasn’t a nurse at this time) and one brave one returned with a bottle.
My Mother just looked at me with her mouth hanging open. She said, “I didn’t even know you knew how to speak up for yourself!”
I quickly replied, “I wasn’t speaking up for myself, I was speaking up for my baby!”
I have been in the dragon slaying business ever since.
I have taken on teachers, school boards, mean little kids who needed to learn some manners (yeah, I would have taken on their parents too).
I remember one incident in particular when Ethan was younger. Something had happened in one of his classes and I was horrified.
I immediately initiated my *Chain Of Command* for such situations.
The next day I received a phone call at work from a rather large man who said “We need to TALK! I’ve got a problem with YOU!!!”
I said *in my best dragon slaying voice* “Bring it on BUBBA!”
My poor little Ethan said “MAMA! You can’t meet with HIM! Have you seen him? He’s HUGE!”
Drawing myself up to my full 5’5″ I replied, “You think YOUR Mama’s scared of HIM? He needs to be scared of ME!”
My kids had no problem letting me fight for them when they were younger, but times, they are a changing…
Now, when a problem comes up and my hackles start to rise they don’t want my intervention.
I guess I can understand. What 17-year-old boy in his right mind would run up to a bully and say, “Oh yeah, well, wait till I tell my MOM! She’ll take care of you!!”
*That had better be followed by ==NaNe NaNe Boo Boo You Can’t Catch Me== as they are running as quickly as possible because that would be the ONLY survival technique available!*
Oh, Puleeze Do Not Be Mislead! My fighting days are far from over. I just use different tactics in my battles now.
Because, even though I have stood face to face with many dragons in my days, it is on my knees I do my very best fighting. That is where the true warrior comes to light.
Because you see, I know it is not really the man that I am fighting. That is not what is truly after my children, I know who the real enemy is. I know the plan to attack this enemy will use.
I realize that I “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
It is there on my knees that I give every battle to Him, knowing He is GREATER than the world, knowing He has OVERCOME the world.
Lord, again today, as every day I give you my children, I give you their lives to use, to mold, to hold. Guide them, protect them, help them to grow. Use them, in all the situations they face, to glorify You. Thank You for giving them to me to love, thank You for loving me that much. And thank You for every battle I’ve won through You. You are the Mighty God!!
