Terrific Threes

I am learning how parenting is so much tougher than anyone ever told me. My three year old, Ellie, loves to test my patience, especially in public and around my friends and family. I feel like I am constantly saying "no", "don't", "stop". I am currently reading a book by Gary Thomas called "Sacred Parenting". I've only read the first chapter and already I'm in awe of how he relates parenting to how God sees us as children and oh, how he loves us. I also have the David Crowder Band song "How He Loves" on my mind a lot lately. Even though I so often feel like I'm not worthy of loving or my kids drive me so crazy, I hear His voice, "Oh, how I love you, Hayley." "Oh, how I love you, Ellie." "Oh, how I love you, Alyssa." I'm so thankful He still loves us, despite my faults. 

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves

We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way

And oh, how He loves us
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so
how he loves

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how he loves
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.