As I watched The Princess Bride this week with my friend's eight-year-old daughter, I had the uncomfortable realization that my parenting has recently sounded a lot like Vizzini. I don't demean and belittle like Vizzini, or threaten to "find myself a new giant" -- it is more a similarity in tone.
You may remember the scene when the exasperated Vizzini tells Andre the giant's character to finish off the man in black: "The minute his HEAD is in view...HIT IT WITH THE ROCK!" Now transpose the scene to my kitchen: "Take the TOWEL off the refrigerator...AND CLEAN UP THE MILK!"
Before I had children, I always envisioned I would be more of Wesley-type parent -- dashing, adventurous and calm under pressure. I still cling desperately to the notion that if my kids were to lament that we will never survive in the fire swamp I would wrap my arm around them and say, "We have already succeeded. I mean, what are the three terrors of the fire-swamp? One, the flame spurt - no problem - there's a popping sound preceding each. We can avoid that. Two, the lightning sand which you were clever enough to discover what that looks like, so in the future we can avoid that too."
Recently, I have been working with both boys, particularly Moose, on using an appropriate tone of voice. As I correct him for sounding rude and disrespectful I realize that my tone with him has not exactly been the model of love and respect.
My friend, Michelle, has always said she tries to be very careful with the tone she uses when she says her children’s names. She said she was convicted one day that if someone yelled her name with the same tone she was using when she called her children she would be crushed.
I was reflecting on all this harshness this morning during church and was so thankful for the kind of parent God is to us. He may be firm and unwaveringly truthful, but He is always compassionate and loving in His dealings with me.
I pray that our Perfect Parent would make us like Himself, instead of the pestering, nagging, never-satisfied Vizzini.
