Siblings

Today started out rough. Our two boys in the middle seem to have it out for each other all the time (well most of the time). Sounds familiar right? Sibling rivalry, that's what the experts call it. I call it frustrating, tiring and a little annoying. Well today I got frustrated and shouted. I felt bad. I am suppose to be their loving mom who guides them gently. This got me thinking, one of the reasons children are placed in a family is to be trained and raised so that when they are grown they can live effectively in community. Our family is a starting community in which they learn to accept each other for who they are. Even when they don't get along, they need to learn how to like each other. In communities each person has a role, and ideally, each person is respected. So here's to living in community. Here's to accepting each other as God created us. Here's to giving and receiving grace when we fail. Here's to another fresh start, and accepting the fact that we may need to start fresh many, many more times in the days to come. Here's to the power of prayer and the strength of God to raise and train all these siblings.