THE MORE WE KNOW THE BIGGER WE SIN

I was back with my little buddies this morning, bright and early after almost a full week off. I have enjoyed the respite and certainly feel I took good advantage of the time off but it was good to see them!

I found out that one of the twins has developed quite a few new skills in the past week. He has learned to climb out of his crib (his brother has been doing this for about 2 months). He is quite pleased with himself too. He also demonstrated that he not only looks taller, but actually is taller.

My initial observation of his slimming down and looking a little longer in his formerly rather stubby (and oh so dimpled and adorable) legs played out like this: potty seat has been moved to the family room as both boys have been expressing interest in going on the big potty like sister. Today the recently taller twin firmly grasped the potty seat by the handles, slid it across the family room floor into the foyer and up against the front door. Then he reached up and turned the deadbolt lock - to the unlocked position. Yikes!

There were plenty of other antics today - some of which took me a great deal of time to undo. Needless to say, no naps were had today because the twin with all these newly acquired skills is the one who sleeps! And he sleeps through anything. His brother actually tried to sleep today - a rare event worth mentioning in the twin annals.

Finally brother gave up - and so did I after about the fifth trip upstairs to tell the boys to get back into bed, go to sleep, stop playing, etc. Of course I knew they were secretly laughing at me and saying disparaging things about me in their secret twin language:-)

The last straw was when I heard a banging that got louder and louder. At first I thought it was the noise from the house construction going on next door. But then I realized it was coming from the boys' room. The blinds were being used to signal for help I guess - or at least to be rescued from the prison of the bedroom. By the time I wrested the blinds from twin who can now climb out of his bed, several slats hung precariously by a single cord. Brother number 2 had managed to open the bedroom door and go down the hall to sister's room and wake her up in the meantime.

Before long all three children were crying, yelling, running down the hall. OK... I won't say I didn't get aggravated at all, but gosh those children are adorable! Big sister is a real trooper, too. Those boys are into everything and she complains relatively little. Oh, she has her moments - even days, but overall she is a tough little customer. (Even though she does teach her brothers some "tricks of the trade.")

So I got to thinking about how much more trouble the boys will be getting into now that the newly-skilled twin has caught up to his brother. The more they learn, the more chaos they create. The more skills they master, the more trouble they get into. Time outs will increase. After each sentence is served, though the offending boy will come walking to me, head hung down, and wait for me hug him. (And of course I will!)

The application for my own life is that the more I study and grow in my faith, I more clearly see my capacity for sin. It's just that plain and simple. As I grasp more and more of what it means to be a Christian, I recognize more acutely how far I am from the mark. The more masterfully I can preach on theology, the more intensely I feel the sting of disappointing my Father on a regular basis.

I am so very humbled and filled with awe at how loving and gracious is our God. Then I think about how many times I tried not to laugh out loud at the mischief and chaos three little children created in my life today and how they are so darned cute and smart and precious. I'm pretty sure God thinks of me that way most of the time. He knows my heart and how ardently I desire nothing more than to live a life pleasing to Him.

It gives me comfort to think that God sees me through eyes of love, even when I create chaos and mischief.

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [Colossians 2:2-3 NIV]

Children Are A Blessing

That's often said by those who don't have them, by those who want the world to believe they're 100% thrilled 100% of the time to have their own children, or by grandparents who are speaking of their grandchildren!

But you know what? It IS true!

Jesus made it very clear that children were important to Him. More than that He tells us that we must become like little children to make it into the kingdom of heaven! ". . . Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 18:3 RSV] God values children so much, He made His own son into one!

I don't think Jesus meant we were to be timid. I'm pretty sure He wasn't telling us to run up to someone we love and throw our arms around their knees with such delight that they almost fall over! Although that's really wonderful when it happens! He probably wasn't telling us to taste absolutely everything--everything(!)either.

What he was talking about, I think, is that we are to have that same sense of wonder at and curiosity about God's world. We are to have a child's inquisitive mind when we seek to know God better. I think He was telling us to be humble and quiet, to watch and to listen. And it really wouldn't hurt to throw our arms around each other once in a while, would it?

Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. [1 John 3:18 RSV]