Short Little Detours

This morning as I was getting the children ready for school, I was also trying to get the house tidied up! A man was to come over and check the foundation of our house that seemed to be complaining about the recent drought by way of cracks in the walls. Thankfully, the girls are mostly self-sufficient when it comes to getting dressed, so I was using this opportunity to do some sweeping and picking up downstairs. As I was doing this, I noticed that my son had left his pile of clean clothing on his stair! (After I clean and fold the children's clothing, I place it on their stair. The idea is for them to take it upstairs with them on their next journey to their room. This obviously did not happen this morning! Surprise! Surprise!)

So as I am moving around, cleaning, I asked my little pre-teen angel to carry her big brother's clothing up to his room.

She smiles and sits on the couch, "What's in it for me!"

"Nothing," I said, "except helping your mother."

At this point, the future attorney starts negotiating her compensation. "What about a movie tonight or maybe a soda?"

"No," I said, "You can earn an extra jewel for your Heavenly crown. I just need a little bit of help, and it won't take long. You are going up anyway."

The negotiations continue, but I held my ground as I went to wash the morning dishes that had piled up in the kitchen sink. I decided that I would not ask again. She knew that I wanted the clothing upstairs, and it would take so little effort for her to carry them up on her next trip up the stairs. It would be such a little detour into her brother's room. I decided to see what would happen.

As morning times can tend to be a bit crazy, I didn't notice for awhile, but after the children were at school- as I pulled out the vaccum, I noticed the clothing still sitting on the stair! It made me sad. That is when God said:

My children do the same thing. Many times I ask them to do such small
little tasks for their brothers and sisters, but they are just too busy doing
their own thing. Most tasks I request are right before them with such
short little detours from their normal routine. And when my children do
tasks, they usually expect some kind of payment. I, too, wish that these
tasks can be done for the love of Me, their God! It makes me sad,
too.