So many questions, so little time....

Okay, so what the heck is a "gentle, quiet spirit"?  Isn't that the first question I should ask?  Probably; but since it's me, that's not the first question I'm asking.  The first question I'm asking is "how the heck am I supposed to have a gentle quiet spirit as a mother and Marine?  Kids have to be yelled at (that's in the parenting handbook; right?).  When my daughter, Jocelyn constructs a tower from a rocking chair, a king-sized mink blanket and a red IKEA children's chair so that she can climb to the top of the Christmas tree to get the star, doesn't that require me to yell, "Jocelyn, get down"? 

And being a Marine...first of all, we don't understand anything unless there's an expletive thrown in for emphasis.  Also, we can't whisper to our Marines.  We have to yell.  That's just how it goes.  So how the heck am I supposed to get the mission accomplished without yelling and cursing?  I don't think it's possible. 

Maybe I should wait until my kids are grown and I retire to start on this mission.....alas, tomorrow's not promised so if I were to get hit by a rouge forklift, I don't want to miss heaven because I was waiting for the right time (read the easiest time) to actually become who God wants me to be. 

Fine.  God 1, Stephanie, 0