Try, try, try again

I've been thinking a little bit about New Year's and resolutions, and the opportunity to re-evaluate.  I have the phrase "try again" floating around my mind.  I use it a lot with my kids.  It's usually used after a whiney voice, screaming, demanding, rudeness, hitting of a sibbling, etc.  We try again to do it the right way/nice way.  Most of the time it takes a few tries and lots of coaching from me on a nicer way of doing or saying things.

I've been thinking about how grateful I am that we can constantly "try again".  Lately I haven't gotten much sleep and the love of being a mommy has been kind of low.  No sleep, waking up to screaming tantrums (usually the 2 and 4 year-old), getting woken up all night to screaming and tantrums (usually the 2 year-old), the constant melt downs over the unguessable (usually the 2 year-old, sometimes the 4 and 6 year-old and mommy), constant headaches from no sleep.  Somehow my brain filters that help me reason, and find the good in some situations have gone on vacation.  They usually return from vacation when I manage to get some sleep.  To be honest, I really really don't like feeling that way (not loving my job as a mom).  I'm grateful when I'm in a state that I don't love being in, I can try again.

When I'm not doing as well as I'd like, I can pray for help and try again.  I can say I'm sorry when I've raised my voice when I didn't want to, and try again.  When I whine and complain, I can try again by saying thank you, and finding the good in life.  When I don't get in touch with spiritual things, I can try again in earnest.  When I'm not grateful enough to a wonderful spouse, I can try again and try to give back as much as he gives.  When I don't love or forgive like I feel I should, I can say sorry and try again.  When I don't pay enough attention to the kid pulling constantly on my sleeve, I can awaken my heart and try again.

Innate in being human we have an incredible ability to change (try again).  We each have our own way of reaching that source/ability to change.  For me it's my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I hope to live in such a way that my heart is His, and that I can learn, grow, change, and be made into a better person than I could be on my own.

So if at first you don't succeed, just try, try, try again!