Don't pick the Flowers. Don't take the Rocks.

Recently our family visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but before we ventured out, we stopped at the visitor's center, walked through their museum, and picked up some literature.

They must have know we were coming and bringing with us a flower loving 4 year old, because it was nearly impossible to overlook the signs and notices reminding visitors NOT to pick the flowers.  And while the actual rule in the literature read, "Picking plants or removing any object from the national park is prohibited," our girls struggled to grasp the concept.

Me: Remember, you cannot pick any flowers.

Child: Can we take a pretty rock?

Me: No

Child: What if it is really small?

Me: No

Child: What about a piece of grass?

Me: No

Child: What about a piece of dirt?

Me: No

Child: That doesn't make sense.  Dirt isn't worth anything.  Just exactly how small a thing can we take?

Me: Perhaps you misunderstood.  You are not allowed to take anything from the park.

Child: But we can if it is really small, because no one will know, and it isn't stealing, because it isn't worth anything.

I remember exactly where I was standing and where my daughters were sitting when this conversation took place - outside of a restroom on a rock within the park - because I had a personal epiphany at that very moment.  Do I talk to God this way?  Do I rationalize my sin and make plans to disobey God because I think I know better than He does?  Sadly, I have, and sometimes I still do!

There are many who think that being a mother is hard because it is exhausting and full of self sacrifice.  Those parts are definitely true.  But for me, being a mother is hard because I see my sinful self in my children.  There are times when I look at them and shake my head.  How could they be so foolish and misunderstand so much about this world?  As I shake my head at my children, I'm certain God shakes His head at me.  Yet, I patiently teach them, just as God is continuously and patiently teaching me.

Sin is so sneaky.  And while my eldest daughter is quite discerning and loves God very much, it saddened me that she would be so far off in this particular situation.  Then again, she is only 8 years old and here I am nearing 40 still making similar mistakes in my spiritual walk.  But God gives us room to fail, to sin, to be wrong.  Thankfully, He also gives us His Word to set us straight.

I reminded my girls that when the rule says we cannot take anything from the park, we don't take it as a challenge to see what we can get away with.  We don't try to bend the rules to fit our desires.  We follow the rules as best as we possibly can, because we are reflections of Christ in a dark world. 

As Christians we follow God's Law.  It is true, sometimes we don't always understand, and yet we obey.  Sometimes our desires try to lead us astray, and yet we obey.  Why do we obey?  Because we love Christ and are devoted to the Father.  Our heart's desire should always be to please Him and not ourselves.

John 14:15 - If you love me, keep my commands.

Psalm 119:112 - My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.

It's Your Fault!

When I only had two or three children, I could watch them better, but after four children I pretty much gave up trying to keep an eye on everyone.  So when I heard blood curling screams from the tinniest girl and shouts from the second youngest boy declaring, "You're fine!" I knew something was up and most likely someone was hurt.

Sure enough, Annie at almost 5 years old, had a huge bruise across the side of her face and 6 year old Benjamin was squarely to blame.  To be fair, he didn't mean to hit her.  He was trying to smash a ball with a ping pong paddle in the living room (not allowed) and she was 'in his way' according to his account.  Instead of feeling bad for his actions, he placed the blame on her and minimized his responsibility.  Then Ben accused her of overreacting, even though she truly was hurt.  The ping pong paddle was about the same size as Annie's head and Ben was an enthusiastic ball smacker, but instead of smashing the ball, Annie's head caught the burnt of the force.


At first glance I wondered if we were going to need to visit the doctor.  It looked like multiple blood vessels were broken.  We promptly applied ice and Ben was placed in his room on his bed to contemplate his actions.  Annie cried and received comfort.  Ben pondered the situation and decided Mom was wrong for placing him in his room.  I had higher hopes for time-out and his subsequent time of reflection, but remorse was no where to be found.

As an adult and a parent, this situation completely dumbfounded me.  First the child disobeyed me by not putting the paddle away downstairs an hour ago as he was told.  Then he decided to play with said paddle in the living room against the rules.  Furthermore he accidentally hit his sister (it truly was not intentional), but instead of feeling bad, he blamed her for being in the way.  Upon seeing she was really hurt, he insisted she was overreacting and refused to come to her aide.  He had opportunity after opportunity to do right, but instead chose wrong at every single turn.  When told to reflect upon the situation, he came to the conclusion that his time-out to reflect was UNJUST!

I had to scoop my jaw off the floor and walk myself out of his bedroom.  Obviously, there is a lesson to be learned, not only for Benjamin, but perhaps for myself and the rest of humanity.

I wonder how often I blame God for sin in my life?  How often do I misjudge situations and refuse to see things from the other person's point of view?  How often do I refuse to reflect upon my day or repent of my sin?  How often do I hurt someone else and blame them for "overreacting" and then refuse to apologize?

Sin is evil, painful, wicked, horrendous, and sickening.  It separates us from God.  There is absolutely no good that can come from it.  Sin is so easy to see in my son's life and yet he is unable or unwilling to see it himself.  I wonder how much of my own sin I am unaware of or unwilling to admit?

"Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts,

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

~ Psalm 139:23