“Can we reset, please?”

“Can we reset, please?”

It was a very frustrating afternoon. Nathan was eating his lunch exceptionally slow. He was fidgeting and distracted. It started with gentle reminders, then warnings, then threats, then screaming. He was obviously sad. I was obviously angry. We were both unhappy and I told him to just leave the table and go take a shower and go take a nap. I had quite enough.

I really dislike this kind of moments. I am always happy to have him come home so we can spend some time together, to learn, to explore or just to have conversations. Why must Nathan make it so difficult for both of us and totally spoil a peaceful afternoon together. It is just FOOD! 1 hr to finish a small bowl of noodle did not make any sense. All these thoughts were running through my mind as I cleared the dining table and oh my gosh, he even dropped noodle on the floor!

As Nathan left the table and walked down the short corridor to the bathroom, he suddenly stopped. He turned around and called out to me, “Mama, can we reset, please?” It was the softest puppy eyes you can imagine. I asked him what he meant. “I don’t like the feeling that you are not liking me and I am also not liking you. Can we reset?” Nathan said.

It broke me that moment. I stopped what I was doing, walked to Nathan and gave him a hug and said “yes”. We prayed together for God to forgive us. Nathan asked God to forgive him for being disobedient and making mama angry and “causing her to sin”. I prayed for God to help me to have more patience too.

As we concluded the prayer with a loud “Amen”, we looked at each other and gave each other a big big smile. It was so powerful. The atmosphere in the house changed. From anger, sadness, hatred to peace, love and joy.

The whole process did not take more than 5 min but it took someone a decision to want to make right, to want to RESET.

Meaning of Reset in the dictionary: (1) to set again or anew; (2) to change the reading of often to zero.

I am so glad Nathan decided to stop, to turn around, to come up to me, to speak up, so we can stop the breeding of negativity, bringing it to zero, and giving new life and new beginning to the relationship.

I recalled Pastor Trisha’s sharing on relationships at one of the AG convergence.

“A relationship-centered person fights for relationships. He or she will be willing to have courageous conversations to fight for the relationship to be restored in God’s love and wisdom.”

If you are in the midst of pain and sorrow because of a relationship so dear to you that is broken, will you take the first step- to stop, turn around, go to the person and say “Can we reset, please?”

-Mama Esther

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Mama Esther- @estherlaoshi

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