Learning Grace Through Ice Cream and Waffles

I'm telling these stories because I wish I had more stories to draw from.  Perhaps I might not miss out on as many teaching opportunities. 

We had friends over last night, friends who enjoy the local and homemade.  We made a potato leek soup and croutons, as well as ice cream.  From the moment my toddler noticed the wooden bucket for churning the ice cream and asked what it was, we heard an incessant stream of "I want ice cream!!"  We explained each time (as did our friends, since they're all so sweet and patient with our little girl) that ice cream was a dessert, a treat.  We would all eat our dinner, and then be given ice cream.  Still, Autumn kept with her mantra.

When it came time to sit around the table and eat our soup, Autumn tasted it as she'd been told to, but made a face like she didn't like it (my personal opinion is that the texture of the half-blended soup with little bits of potato peel in it was what she disliked, not the taste). We confirmed with her (as she sometimes makes that face at new flavors but still says she likes them) that she did not like the soup.  Daddy told her to take 5 more spoonfuls of soup, then she could fill up on bread and be done.  She barely made it - watching her gag on a few spoonfuls, I almost lost my own appetite.  But she obeyed. 

When the ice cream was served, she received a bowl along with everyone else.  She got it because she had obeyed and showed a sweet heart, not because she finished her soup.  We then got the chance to draw her attention to these facts, we made it a little lesson.  She was getting ice cream anyway because of something called grace. 

This morning I got another chance to talk about grace, as Autumn hadn't finished her own cereal but asked for some of my waffles.  As I explained that love dictated that I be consistent with her as her parent, giving her consequences for her actions and lack of actions, she kept contact with my eyes and nodded with each phrase.  I told her because I loved her I had to give her discipline and stick to my word so that she might be a blessing as an adult and have blessings because of her own self-control.  She got a tiny taste of waffles in the end - to reward her for listening well and having asked without demanding.

I fervently hope that my actions reflect the sweet love of God to my kids, both in discipline and in showing grace.  I want to be a reflection, like the moon, of the sun's light and warmth and not a stumbling block that sometimes eclipses His glory in my own selfishness or lack of dedication to this job.  Hopefully even my mistakes will make way for His strength in my children's lives.  Have any stories of your own to share?