Olivia's Haircut

Well, it's happened. I thought only my first child would cut her own hair. No, Olivia has followed in Emma's footsteps. Her hair was one length all around her head until yesterday. . . .

Emma and I had scrapbooking stuff out on the dining room table recently, and Olivia wanted something to do. I gave her "kid scissors", construction paper, and some glue. She had fun making her own artwork, but Emma and I both were trying to help her hold her scissors better. Emma just happened to say, "Hey, Mom, remember when I cut Olivia's hair when she was a baby?" Of course I was just thrilled that she brought that up, and I said, "Uh, yes, and what happened when you did that?" We discussed the situation, and then Emma went on to inform her sister of how she also cut her own hair. I then made it clear that there were consequences to that incident as well. Thinking I should further discuss this topic, so that Olivia would never try this herself, I told her that we never ever cut anything but the paper Mommy gives her. "We don't cut anything else, especially not our hair," I informed her. I also asked her who does cut her hair, and she answered, "Miss Nikki does!" "That's right! Not even Mommy cuts your hair, because I want you to look pretty, and I don't know how to cut your hair well," I said.

I thought that was a good conversation, and she understood well. I had no fear that she would ever cut her hair. Hah! As my much wiser husband helped me remember, upon my being soooo shocked that Olivia would do this after just having the conversation a few days before, our human nature is to test out and/or try what we've just been told not to do. Hello??? I know this, have lived it, seen it in other areas with both my kids. . . .

Thankfully it was not any worse--it certainly could have been! I am grateful too that she did not cut her ear, as these scissors are rounded but not guarded like some. I was so glad that Miss Nikki could get us in that morning, and she was able to figure out a cute new look for Olivia. I sure am going to miss the pony tails for a while, but I do think her hair looks cute. Whew! It's just hair and it grows, right?

It's funny really, God has been allowing a lot of my plans/desires to be changed lately. Of course what happened yesterday was not something I wanted. I had just let Olivia get down from breakfast and was finishing mine when the haircut took place. We were going to get ready and head to Saginaw for the day. Well, that didn't happen. I found out later that what I thought I needed to get in Saginaw actually was taken care of, and it would've been a wasted trip anyway. :-) One of the things I have been studying in the Bible is I Peter, and I had just read in chapter 3 last week about a gentle and quiet spirit being precious in God's sight. I was convicted and told the Lord I needed to work in this area. I've struggled with this when it comes to the girls and trying to get places we need to be on time and things aren't going well--their being slow, juice spilling right before we leave, having to deal with a problem between them, etc. My reactions have not always been precious in God's sight, and I certainly am not being the right example and teacher to them if I raise my voice and act out of frustration. I definitely see that I have been given opportunities to practice recently, and I thank God that it is by His grace I can react rightly to undesirable circumstances. God has helped me to catch myself, like yesterday. May we moms seek to have a true beauty that comes from the heart, and may God see something precious in us as we live out our lives. It may not always be easy to speak calmly and lovingly when our kids do certain things, but Philipians 4 reminds us that we can do all things through Christ. And oh, don't we long for them to know Him!