There was ugly scenes at my place one evening last week when the layers of my facade were peeled back to reveal the recesses of my selfish heart.
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I was peeling onions too, eleven kilos of them, and that was always going to be messy at the end of a long day, revealing all kinds of character flaws.
Preparing for a fundraising barbecue, I mistakenly used the grating blade on the first two kilos of peeled and cut onions, turning them into watery mush.
It was then that I lost track of which tears were from onion fumes and which were from pure frustration.
The task seemed endless and at the one-hour mark, when my eyeballs had become red orbs of pure bloodshot and my apron was starting to sop in onion juice, my hardworking husband called needing me to jump in the ute and help pick-up the repaired family car.
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At that point in time, I assure you, I did not look or behave like the Christ-centered woman he had been happily married to for 29 years.
I presented like a pouty, impetuous child who could not get what she wanted even though she didn't know what that was.
He kindly offered to help with the onions, which seemed the most obvious challenge I was struggling with, and I rudely refused, demanding his help with the parenting of our two teenage tenants instead.
Naturally, rather than vegetable preparation, profound parenting problems were at the core of the pickle I found myself in.
Each of my teenage daughters was wrapped in trials which no amount of discussion, assistance or investment of time or money seemed able to shed.
It hurts to feel so hopeless, and I took this out on my family by being bad company, which most definitely made matters worse.
My behaviour stank to high heaven, just like the onions, but thank goodness it didn't linger quite as long.
When I've made a complete mess of things, I eventually give it up to God and accept his transforming forgiveness and love because he never gives up on me.
The dawn of a new day saw a fresh start for our family; the sun shone, the onions sizzled, the fundraising barbecue buzzed and stormy waters seemed to calm.