Art and Ouch!

Art can come in many forms. We do a lot of impromptu art at our house. The masterpiece below is what happens when girl with wet socks meets dirty kitchen floor.

She is very talented :) Encouraging my children's artistic ability is a good excuse not to keep my house spotless. Right?

This little blurb is also about my daughter. She is growing up and has lived in a house where good natured teasing is the norm and we all enjoy it. I found out a few weekends ago that she is getting pretty sharp.

We were coming back from a parade on the 4th of July and I had decided to take the long way back. The kids were tired and weren't too happy about it. After I turned onto a different road I told them that it was the scenic route.

My daughter asked if it was a short cut. I told her that scenic routes usually take a little longer.

After a few twists and turns in the road, one of the boys asked if I knew where we were going. (He always thinks I'm lost)

I proudly replied that "I was raised on this scenic route!"

Not missing a beat, my daughter commented, "that must be why it took you so long to grow up!"

OUCH!!!!!!!! SHE GOT ME!!

Choices

I was reading my Bible the other day and came to the part about Jesus's trial. Pilate gave the people two choices, Barabbas, or Jesus?

I was thinking about this and realized that I give my children choices much like this one. Usually one is the one I'm sure they won't want. It's usually awful! Then the second one is the one I want them to choose.

I gave my daughter two choices tonight. It sounded something like,"You can either stop buying clothes or you can make sure the ones you have are in your drawers or hung up." You see I'm pretty sure I know which one she will choose. I think this is a common parent 'trick'. It kind of makes the child want the one you want and is worded a little gentler that the "Do this or else!!!!" strategy that we also use at times.

Well it seems like Pilate wants the people to choose Jesus. The other choice, Barabbas, was a 'notorious prisoner' an insurrectionist who had committed murder. Which one do you think Pilate would rather release? Which one would you want released to live in the world with you?

A robber and murderer? - OR - A gentle healer and miracle worker?

Pilate wasn't expecting the answer he received. Even though he would have picked Jesus, the people picked Barabbas.

Do we always pick the choice that is best for us? Do we let others influence us so that we pick something that we later regret?

Sometimes with God's help our bad choices can turn into something good. Jesus's death and resurrection led to a second chance for Barabbas. It also gives us a second chance. Our bad choices will be forgiven, if we ask for His forgiveness. We must only choose to believe.