Y’all.

I am officially the meanest mommy in the whole world.

At least according to one very dramatic 5-year-old who, mind you, was wearing a glittery ballet tutu while wielding an empty Christmas popcorn tin like a prop from The Nutcracker Gone Wrong.

🎬 Picture it…

My living room. 7:30 p.m.
Everyone tired.
Everyone wired.
Everyone one small argument away from total chaos.

There was Miss May — my curly-haired ballerina princess — spinning in circles holding one of those giant red popcorn tins.
You know the ones with:

• the stale caramel popcorn nobody ever eats,
• the bright yellow cheese popcorn that stains fingers for three days, and
• the plain popcorn that somehow tastes both soggy and crunchy at the same time?

Except Tater Tot, who loves those tins with her whole soul. She used to sleep with one when she was little, which explains… actually nothing, but we won’t unpack that.

Anyway — May is spinning.
And spinning.
And spinning.

My mom eyes instantly saw the future:
This ends in blood or broken furniture. Possibly both.

“May, stop spinning with that.”
No response.
“Not spinning, May.”
Still spinning.
“May! Quit it, you’re going to hurt someone!”

And then—

WHAP.

She whirled around like a tiny tutu-wearing tornado and smacked Monkey Boy right in the face with the popcorn tin.

Cue the screaming.
Cue the tears.
Cue the “It was an accident!” heard ’round the world.

And honestly? Momma snapped a little.

“That’s why I SAID STOP!”
(And yes, louder than I meant to.)
“Say you’re sorry.”

Her response?

“YOU’RE THE MEANEST MOMMY IN THE WHOLE WORLD!”

Ah yes.
The award I never asked for.
The honor I never wanted.
The title bestowed upon all mothers who dare to enforce common sense and prevent concussions.

😔 After the Tears… the Conviction Hits

Once everyone calmed down, and once Monkey Boy stopped giving me the wounded puppy eyes, I sat there thinking about how often we do this exact thing to God.

God says:
“Stop.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Trust Me.”
“This is going to hurt you.”
“No seriously… STOP.”

And we — like tiny tutu-wearing humans holding metaphorical popcorn tins — keep spinning.

Then when we smack ourselves or someone else in the face with the consequences?

We cry.
We scream.
We yell:
“God, you’re being mean!”
“You’re ruining my fun!”
“You’re too strict!”
“Why can’t I just do things my way?”

And two biblical stories came to mind immediately.

🐴 1. Balaam and the Donkey (Numbers 22)

Talk about a “Stop spinning!” moment.

God literally put an angel in Balaam’s path — not to ruin his day, but to save his life.
Balaam was so stubborn and so focused on doing what he wanted that he completely missed the danger right in front of him.

His donkey saw it.
His donkey stopped.
His donkey refused to move.

And what did Balaam do?

He got mad. At the donkey.
(Just like my child got mad at me.)

Finally the donkey basically said,
“DUDE. I SAVED YOUR LIFE. MAYBE CALM DOWN.”

And God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he suddenly realized:
God wasn’t being mean.
God was being merciful.

⚡ 2. Saul’s Conversion (Acts 9)

Saul was doing the spiritual equivalent of spinning in circles with a popcorn tin, knocking down Christians left and right.

God stops him — HARD.
Blinding light.
Voice from heaven.
Full dramatic encounter.
Not subtle.

Saul needed a stop so sudden, so unmistakable, that he couldn’t blame it on anything but God stepping in.

And honestly?

It wasn’t punishment.
It was protection.
It was redirection.
It was love.

Sometimes God has to say,
“Enough.
STOP.
You’re hurting others.
You’re hurting yourself.”

And just like my child, we cry,
“God, why are You being so harsh?”
When the truth is…

He’s saving us from ourselves.

❤️ The Parenting Heart of God

I didn’t yell because I wanted to ruin May’s fun.

I yelled because I wanted to protect her.
Protect Monkey Boy.
Protect the drywall.
Protect the ER co-pay.

God’s the same way.

He steps in — loudly sometimes — not because He’s mean…
But because He sees what we can’t.
He knows what’s coming.
He loves us too much to stay quiet.

And when we finally stop spinning and listen…
We realize His correction isn’t rejection.

It’s love wearing a very serious face.

Just like mine at 7:30 p.m.
Holding a dented popcorn tin and a crying ballerina.

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🙏 Guided Prayer

Father, thank You for loving me enough to stop me when I’m headed toward harm.
Help me recognize Your correction as protection, not punishment.
When I resist, complain, or throw a spiritual tantrum, remind me that Your boundaries are love in action.
Give me the humility to listen, the wisdom to obey, and the grace to parent my children the way You parent me.
Amen.

🪜 Devotional Action Steps

1️⃣ Reflect on your “popcorn tin moments.”
Where has God told you to stop, but you kept spinning anyway?

2️⃣ Re-read Balaam’s story (Numbers 22:21–35).
Ask God to open your eyes to the “donkeys” He’s placed in your path to protect you.

3️⃣ Read Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:1–19).
Note the difference between punishment and redirection.

4️⃣ Write a short prayer of surrender.
Something simple like, “Lord, stop me before I hurt myself or others.”

5️⃣ Practice gentler self-talk today.
God is not mean.
You’re not a bad parent.
Correction is love.