The Power of Words

It's kind of amazing to think of the power of something so simple as a word...or two. They don't cost any money, they don't require great strength and they are endlessly available. The hard thing about words though it that sometimes they require great courage. They begin as thoughts in your head, become something you feel compelled to share, but if you are not courageous enough to utter them an important opportunity might be missed.
I'm not quite sure where it's coming from, but Gavin is having a hard time with following through with requests or decisions he makes himself. He wants orange juice, I give him orange juice then he freaks out and says he wants apple juice. Today is was that he had to go on the carousel at Disneyland because he didn't want to go on Dumbo with Dad and brother so we walked over to the carousel line and he freaked out asking to go back to Dumbo. I told him that he had asked to go on this ride so we were going to go on it and then we could go on Dumbo if he wanted. It was a fight the entire time we waited, but as his horse began to rise and fall a smile quickly filled his beaming face. He had a great time.
During those 15 minutes as we waited in line I started to doubt my decision to make him follow through. What would his teacher have done in this situation? Is it really worth it to push through, will it benefit him at all or would it scar him for life? Are people staring, do they think I am a bad mom?
Then at that moment the words of a friend entered my thoughts. A couple weeks ago as I was struggling to keep Gavin in his new primary class at church, I was seconds away from tears just as a mother of one of the young women I used to teach came up to me and whispered, "You are a good mom." Then she smiled and sat back down at the piano. Simple, quick and exactly what I needed at that time.
And today those words and that moment came flooding back to me. They helped me to find the confidence I was lacking. I remembered that while I am far from perfect and don't always make the right steps, Gavin needs me. He needs me to encourage and push him. I am in no way serving him if I give into his every whim. Follow through is an important life skill, even at 4 years old. Each day, each challenge and each success will make up the man he is to be. They are like brush strokes on a canvas. Someday I will step back and marvel at the masterpiece Heavenly Father has created in him. And I will be ever so grateful to have been his cheerleader every step of the way.
Next time you think about sharing a thought with a loved one, friend or even a stranger have courage. You really never know how it will touch and inspire them. Not only in that moment, but possibly for the rest of their lives.