I MADE WAFFLES THIS MORNING

Waffles. Homemade waffles. Ooey, gooey waffles topped with fruit and sugar-free syrup. My sister uses all-natural, organic honey, but no fruit, and don't even ask if she wants powdered sugar. My mom enjoys a plain waffle. Little sis, she likes EVERYTHING: fruit, powdered sugar, and a little more, syrup, honey, chocolate chips, and anything else we have in the house that could potentially go on a waffle. You'd be surprised what she can find. WHIPPED CREAM. How could I forget the whipped cream. Don't worry, I heard the chirps from my older sister who lathers the syrup and tops her waffle with the biggest whipped cream pile. And then dad, who shouldn't even be eating waffles eats just one with a bit of sugar-free syrup. But his full glass of SUGARED orange juice and cookie creamer covers the rest of those grams. And then there is me...

Almond flour, all-natural sugar substitute, no eggs, and a drizzle of syrup waffle.

You are telling me right now what waffle you would pick of those six, but also creating your own order in your head. It's okay, tell us what it is! Trust me, we want to know...

All six waffles, starting with the ingredients even before the skillet is on and heated, are different. Do we fight and complain about each other's waffles? No, except for us telling dad to NOT EAT IT OR ELSE HIS SUGAR WILL OVERLOAD...And yet, he still eats it. Why? Because our opinions of other people do not matter when defining who we are as people.

All we can control is telling the TRUTH with compassion. We have heard tough love. And I am the toughest tough love person you have met in a minute.

But that does not give me or you permission to judge or express uninvited opinions.

Over the past few years, I have learned what it means to share guidance when invited and when to just shut up, listen, and eat waffles together.

I could say my little sis who loves everything on her waffle is impulsive or maybe she is an overthinker who can't make decisions. While that MAY BE TRUE...It is not my place nor your place to make a judgement and state your opinion. But what can I do? I can help her through the decision-making.

The other middle child cannot be spoken too until she has food in her stomach or else HANGRY SISTER is unleashed and that is NOT a scene you want at breakfast. So what do I do when making her waffle, I smile, hand her a waffle, allow her to put her toppings on, and let her eat. THEN I might say good morning.

Lessons learned the hard way and through years of making waffles in the morning:

• We choose love every morning
• We choose to tell the truth with compassion
• We choose to shut up and listen (God gave you one mouth and two ears)
• We choose to eat our waffles TOGETHER at the table, with our own toppings, and
• WE CHOOSE TO LAUGH with each other, enjoy each other's company, and share in the love.

Some days are harder than others, but what is most important is not what toppings we have or the ingredient in our waffle, it is who we eat those waffles with. Next time you offer your opinion or complain about the whipped cream pile being a bit smaller than last time, choose compassion first. And thank your sister later who helped keep that blood sugar spike under control for you.

Do all things in love on the foundation of compassion.

Even those who share in the toughest tough love approach.