Broken Hearts

This is such a long post!  Please read all the way to the end....I don't want you to think I'm a COMPLETE jerk of a parent! LOL

Oh Ladies!  Yesterday, I broke a little girl's heart.  Well, sorta.  I UNINTENTIONALLY broke my daughter's heart. 

One of my daughters came to me with a basket of stuffed animals.  She said she was willing to part with them and asked what I would like to do with them.  They were in great condition so I told her to put them in a trash bag and set them in the back of the car so I can take them to the thrift store.

Fast forward 4 hours.  I've been remodeling the dining room and I needed some supplies.  I had called and asked the hardware store to give them to Hannah when she stopped in but they forgot.  Off to town to grab the supplies I go.  I figure I might as well make a trip to the dump at the same time.  You know, kill two birds with one stone type of thing.

I get home and the Littles are asking about where I went.  Daughter informs them that I had gone to the dump, hardware, and thrift stores.

"I didn't go to the thrift store."

"Then what did you do with my stuffed animals?"

"What stuffed animals?"

"The ones I put in the back of the truck."

"YOU PUT THEM IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK?!  I said the car!  Well, I guess they're at the dump then.  I can't go back and get them."

Fast forward...again.  I hear crying.  No, all out sobbing coming from the other end of the house. (And we live in a REALLY BIG house)  I have to be honest.  I'm not handling this very well.  I know she's crying over those stinking stuffed animals.  The ones she was GETTING RID OF!  Why is this such a big deal?  I have so much to do.  I DO NOT have time for this.

"Why are you crying?" (Knowing the answer full well)

"Because........and you're always asking me to get rid of some......and I was just trying to make YOU happy."

*Screech*  Wait, back up.  Now this is MY fault?  My mind is reeling.  I have about a million and one things to say.  None of them are very nice.  I simply say, "Well, if you had listened to my directions when I said put them in the CAR you wouldn't be in this position.  We've been working on following my directions.  Usually it just costs you extra time.  This time it's costing something more valuable.".......And I walk away.

I give Husband a call.  (Yes, I call him Husband)  I relay the whole story to him.  I'm expecting some sort of back up here.  And then I hear it.  "Well, we should make sure to really encourage her for being so giving."  WHAT?!  She doesn't listen, gets her heart hurt, blames ME, and now we're gonna encourage her?  She doesn't DESERVE encouragement!  She needs to learn her lesson!

But my heart knows he's right. (How I love that man)  I mean, how many times have I not listened to God, completely failed at whatever it was, and then blamed HIM when I fell on my face?  More times than I can count.  *sigh*  Better yet, how many times have I started with good intentions, not at all INTENDING on being a stinker, to disobey, but got so caught up in pleasing God with my actions that I actually failed to stop and listen to what it was He actually wanted?

Was I met with anger and indifference?  An "I told you so, hope you learn your lesson" kind of attitude.  Nope.  Grace and mercy.  Gentle direction. 

*Insert conviction here*

A couple hours later Daughter was walking past.  I pulled her into my arms.  Told her how much I 'm sure it hurts when you give something away to be loved by another little girl and find that now it's not going to have a new "home" at all.  I told her how proud I was of her heart that wanted to bless me by giving some of her stuff a new home, even when it hurt her heart a little. I told her that I always love her whether she gets rid of stuff, or not.

She hugged me back.  Smiled. Nodded.  "It's OK, Mommy."

I'm wondering which of us learned the bigger lesson?