I love all my children. Truly.
I would jump in front of the proverbial bus for all four of them. But lately, there’s a certain tiny girl who I’d like to put on the bus instead. Judge me if you must.

Completely opposite from any of our other children, this 20-pound firecracker has a fuse shorter than her legs. If daddy takes twin brother out of his crib before her in the morning, you better batten down the hatches because she’s gonna scream and baby cuss and wake the whole house. It’s comical and annoying all at the same time.

Spankings don’t phase her. She puts herself in timeout. What is that?! And when I give positive praise to her other siblings, I swear she mutters “amateur” under her breath. Even after the punishment is over, she continues to scream, walking around the house hoping to grab eye contact with anyone who will notice her mayhem and foolishness.

Lately, I’ve been trying a new tactic. I hold her close, grab her face in my hands and smile. Then I calmly tell her, “I’m going to love the stink right out of you.”

She looks at me puzzled as can be.
I say it again, this time with a laugh. “I AM going to love the stink right out of you.”

So far, my new approach is working.  When I pull her close and speak love over her, it’s like I’ve hit the reset button on her attitude. Mind you, this doesn’t always work. Sometimes I say it and she yells “Noooooo” in the meanest & highest pitch possible, while kicking and wrestling out of my hug.

I have to wonder how many times God has said this to me.  I don’t think God keeps a tally, but if He did, heaven probably lost track of how many times He’s had to pull me close and reset my janky attitude.

Because I have a lot of stink. Anger, impatience, pride.

Just to name a few.

“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
    slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15 NIV)

I am so grateful for the abounding love of the Lord. He loves me enough to speak His love through circumstances, conversations, or gentle nudges. All in effort to change my sour heart.

My feisty peanut recently turned two. Pray for me friends, because two rhymes with terrible and it could be a long year.

But I’m going to keep loving the stink out of my little girl.
I’m so glad God is doing the same for me.