Life Lessons

This morning I received an email from a friend, passing along the e-newsletter from the Orange County Rescue Mission. The Mission houses and feeds many needy people in Southern California, and during these difficulty economic times, they have more needy, and less donations coming in...which creates a problem.

The email asked for donations, primarily of food. I thought, "We can help, and it will be a great way to teach my children about giving back."

I sent an email to friends and neighbors, asking for donations. A neighborhood boutique offered to collect donations at their store, in addition to those left on my porch. The local paper is also going to run a brief article, encouraging people to donate.

I was feeling pleased about this little venture, happy to help, grateful that we have never had to go without.

I put a large, sturdy box on the porch, and in an effort to get the kids involved, I asked if they would decorate it. They both love to color and draw, and were excited about this craft.

We talked about the Rescue Mission, how lucky we are to always have food, and housing, and agreed that happy drawings would be a nice touch to the brown box.

Leaving the kids on the porch with the box, and their markers, I went back into the house, with a content feeling about our little task.

No sooner do I shut the door:

Pooper: STOP IT BEAUTY, THAT's MY SIDE

Beauty: NO POOPER, I HAD IT FIRST.

screaming and crying were already underway before I could even open the door. I stepped out onto the porch and they both went on to tell me that the other had taken their "side".

I calmly explained that the box had 4 sides, and that they could each have 2. And they pointed out that one of the sides has (a small spot of) writing on it, and of course, nobody wants THAT side. After a lesson about letting others choose first, and how God says, "The last will be first"....we seemingly had it resolved, with Pooper offering to take the side with writing.

Thankfully I have angelic children, that allowed me to go back inside while they decorated the box. Unfortunately, said scenario is only in my dreams.

Within minutes, Beauty was crying (aka screaming and howling). I went back out to the porch, and Pooper had blue marker streaks all over his arms. Apparently, she thought it would be a good idea to put blue flowers all over the box, his side included. He disagreed, and a fight ensued, including her threats to color his eyeballs with her blue marker and him hitting her.

What's a good mother to do, but sternly remind her children, that those kids at the rescue mission dont even have food or a house, let alone markers and a box to color. I bet they would be grateful to color any side of a box, even a side with writing, and would be so thankful to God, that they wouldnt then go and brawl over it. After threats to send my children to live at the rescue mission, they were sent to their rooms.

Im not sure if it's all the time spent together during summer (with no school), the heat wave, or just nature itself, but my kids can barely spend 2 minutes together without arguing over some small thing.

Im looking forward to actually taking them to the Rescue Mission, to deliver the donations, and to milking our visit for every possible life lesson.