Speaking Truth

I have been struggling with my response to my kids in a time where everything isn't falling into place. Meaning, we are leaving out the door and Ricky still hasn't got his jacket on. It's like I turn from being nice, calm mommy to raging lunatic mommy. Yes, I have to tell him things over and over again but that doesn't give me permission to lose it on him.
Ricky struggles to follow through with things. Right now things are half done. Yet I look around at my life and look at all the things that are half done. I usually never quite finish getting ready in the mornings, my bed is sort of made, the laundry is washed but not folded. You see it's just a different perspective. A little boy could care less about hanging a jacket up. He thinks, what does it matter mom, I'm just going to put it on again when I leave! And does that jacket on the floor really matter? Honestly, not really. Could I very easily pick it up for him, yes. Could I very easily yell at him for once again not picking it up? Yes! But my goal is not either of those things. My goal is to direct him back to the saving grace of Jesus. How do I do that? Well I don't do it very well, but I'm working on it. You see, the parent to child relationship is very similar to the Heavenly Father to His children relationship. God speaks into our lives, leads us, guides us and it's training us to listen to Him. That's what I want to do with my kids. I want to speak into their lives, lead them, and guide them and train them to listen to me which is preparing them to listen to God. And it's a slow, slow process. And I fail. Daily. Yet God picks me up and says let's try it again. Differently. More patient this time. Seek out that forgiveness with your son. What does it mean Do Not Provoke? In this situation I think it means, once again calmly remind Ricky that he hasn't hung up his jacket properly.