Re-Do!

Remember when you were a kid playing a game and things just weren't going well? And you were getting upset and frustrated, but you didn't want to quit? So you pulled together all the courage you could muster and called out, "Re-Do!!!"
And with that one word, you got to start all over. Fresh. It didn't matter what had happened up to that point. With a re-do you got a fresh start and you could face the game again with confidence. And maybe even with a bounce in your step.

Do you remember those experiences?

I loved re-do's.

And even though I am not a kid anymore, I called for a re-do yesterday afternoon.

I was having a rough time with Matthew. Homework was not going well. His ADHD was in overdrive. Need I say more? Uh, I will, anyway.
He was frustrated. I was angry.
He was yelling. I was at a loss for what to do.
He crumpled up his paper and yelled some more. I sent him to his room.
He yelled that he was glad to go to his room because he didn't want to be with me anymore. I stood in the kitchen and cried.

And that's when it occurred to me. I needed to call out a re-do.

I went and knocked on Matthew's door, and he told me to go away. But I opened it and walked in, asking if I could talk to him for a minute.
He was not interested. Can't blame him. I imagine he was expecting a "lecture."
But I started talking anyway.
I talked with Matthew a bit about spiritual attacks. Told him I thought our enemy was trying to attack us because of the Bible reading I'm coordinating for the National Day of Prayer. (This thought occurred to me because as I was in the kitchen crying, I thought to myself, There is too much stress on me right now. I am not going to coordinate this Bible reading thing again next year. Then I realized that is exactly the decision Satan wants me to make. He wants me to think it is too much trouble to have the Word of God proclaimed. Well, guess what? I have victory in JESUS!!!)
So I explained that to Matthew, and he agreed with me. Satan is a jerk! Then we prayed together. I asked God to give us a re-do. Asked Him to give us peace and joy in our hearts. I thanked Him for Matthew, and for Matthew's ability to do his homework. And I thanked Him for the ultimate re-do He has given us through the blood of Jesus.

And can I tell you? Matthew and I emerged out of his bedroom as friends. He sat down at the table and we worked on his homework together. We were not fighting. He was not yelling. I was not angry.
Jesus gave us a re-do, with glad hearts and peaceful minds.

Do you need to call a re-do? God is really good at them!!!