A Lesson from my 21 month old

Saturday was the most beautiful day we have had all year. On Saturdays, if we can help it, we do nothing but the bare essentials. We don't do dishes, try not to cook, etc. No, we are not legalistic, this is our Family Day (Saturdays are) and we feel these things take away from family time.

Anyway, we went for a walk with the girls. It was too beautiful a day to NOT go for a walk. CMTS has a pond on the property, so we walked down there. As we were coming back, Shalom started to pick up sticks (she had heard us talking about needing wood for our cookout later in the day). And then she noticed this big rock, and to her...it was a treasure, and she wanted to take it home. Being the loving parents we are, we refused to carry her treasures - if she wanted them, she would have to carry them!

Josh estimates that she carried that rock, and those sticks an eighth of a mile before she started to realize this wasn't going to work out. She knew something would have to give, because we were coming to a road, and she would have to hold our hands. Not to mention...that rock was pretty big and was getting heavy! Josh went back to help with the situation...he showed her how to put the sticks in her pockets, but she would have to either carry the rock herself, or drop it.

We kept walking, and finally, Shalom dropped the rock. She didn't try to pick it up, but she did start crying. That rock was a treasure to her, and she had to make the decision of whether or not it was worth it to carry the rock (which probably got heavier with each step her little 21 mo. old legs took) all the way home (1/4 to 1/2 mile), or was she going to leave the heavy weight behind her?

I know. I am adding a bit of drama to this situation. Did those thoughts REALLY go thru her mind about leaving a burden behind or carrying it all the way home?

On some level, I believe it did. It broke Shalom's heart to put the rock/burden down and leave it behind. To her, it was a treasure (I told Josh, "It isn't even a PRETTY rock!!!"). She cried for a good five minutes, and whimpered several more after putting down the rock.

I can see SO many comparisons in this note to a lot in my life. But I won't taint your thoughts with my situations. I would rather you glean and apply this to your life, without my views stepping in.