walk like a mammal

Frustrated.  I am.  One of the characteristics of Class Mammalia is that mammals nurture their young in a warm and loving manner.  Sometimes I step outside of this particular characteristic.  I have noticed that they (science people)  do not list "losing your temper" as a characteristic typical of mammalian behaviour, and yet, I am doing this on a fairly regular basis this last little period of time (unspecified on purpose).

I'm not going to make any excuses.  I have been the Wicked Queen from Snow White.  Feeding my children poison apples, in the form of words.  Yes I'm tired.  Yes, I have too much on my plate.  Yes, I need some sunshine.  But big deal.  I doubt very much that if I received my final judgment tomorrow that God would pat me on the shoulder and say, "That's okay, I understand.  You had a bad day.  You yelled at your children.  It’s only natural.  It’s how you feel.  Come, join me at the table."

I think it’s far more likely that He would say, "I created you a mammal.  Act like one.  Get back there and rear your young in a warm and loving manner."

Oh, would that I could have a second chance at all the bad days.

I think mamas and daddies need to spend a great deal of time shoring themselves up for the bad days.  So that we don't take it out on our offspring.  How can we shore ourselves up?

Talk to our spouses.  Have a date on the couch.  Eat cheesecake.  Take a mental health day off of school.  Spend an hour with everybody cleaning the house and then do something fun.  Go for ice cream.  Go to a friends house and cry on her shoulder.  Go to confession.  Lower your expectations of what you want of yourself and raise your expectation of what God wants of you.  Get someone to watch the kids and go for a drive.  Crank the tunes.  Dance with your Sparky.  Work in the garden.  Breathe deeply.  Look at picture of your babies. Look at a picture of Dali's Jesus. Or any crucifix you love.

Have a good cry.  Have a good laugh.  Have an apple (giggle).

Pray, pray, pray.  Offer it all up.

There.  Don't you feel better?

I am praying for your bad days, mamas and daddies.  Pray for mine.