What's for dinner?

Jeremiah came up to me this evening asking the popular question..."Hey mom, what's for dinner?" Rather than tell him...I thought I would let him guess since we happened to be having his favorite dish, spaghetti and meatballs. So with a big smile I looked at him and said "Guess", to which he replied..."guess...guess..! Mom...I don't want to eat guess...I don't like guess...why did you make guess!". I immediately cracked a smile and said..."no sweetheart, you tell me what you think it is!"  To which he repled..."but I don't like guess!" and he stomped off....
When he later discovered what were having, and that it wasn't this mysterious dish called "guess", he are it joyfully for dinner and I ate the usual, my words!

How many times a day as a mother do we say something we can't take back...and ironically almost all of these instances are teachable moments, moments of humility, and often humor...

Here are a few examples from my week...

Malia "Mom, I don't like the snack you gave me...I just don't feel like eating it "  to which I respond ( immediately following the feeding frenzy after school where I have to please all 5 simultaneously) "how would you like it if I walked into your room every day and told you I didn't like something you did...( at this point I realized I have just served up some humble pie) wait...what I mean is please eat what I gave you, it would be helpful to me.

Gianna: (crying) " mom it's not fair she ALWAYs gets to xyz, and I NEVER do!"...to which I yell...."why do you ALWAYS overreact (as I over react!)
I mean, (speaking calmly) Gianna lets try to not cry, I will try not to yell...(just served up another slice!)

So while I am chubbing up on humble pie, at least I'm slimming down the pride?

This past weekend I volunteered at a retreat and something that was shared on 3 different occasions was that " we are what we eat" referencing the beautiful and transforming power of the Eucharist...And it's amazing how the grace given to us is available each day to help us, humble us...to be like Christ in all we do...and to speak words that are life giving...

And when we are served up a nice slice of pie...the grace helps us to swallow it down and then laugh at ourselves, realizing what a mess we are without Him!