10.26.2007

Booing and teaching

We have just arrived home from booing our friends that live on the other side of town. What a fun adventure! Not only did we drive through the coming home traffic, we had to case the house. Our friends live on a corner of a road that is a circle. So, I drove by the house, showing the kids where I'd drop them off...the side/back of the house. I instructed them to go to the front door...and explained that I'd be parked a couple of houses down the road...and said "run to the car...through the grass." (My kids have this thing about walking on sidewalks...guess they didn't grow up in Sheffield Lake!)

So as I was explaining this, driving around the house, the DD who is 7 was sitting on the front porch with a friend! So I circled around the block. This time, slowing down on the side looking to see if the side door had a doorbell or if it looked like a door that someone MIGHT answer. Kept driving...decided that we'd make the drop off on the side door. So, 3rd time around...and yes, the little girl and friend are on right in front of that side door! I keep driving to the front of the house, drop off my son and pull up just past the neighbor's yard. My son takes the goodies to the front door, puts it down (yes, he's a natural), rings the doorbell and dashes back to the car...into the open front seat and we pull away. But not fast enough to see someone in the family come out and find the goodies!

(On a side note, we passed a woman walking her dog like 5 times...she probably thought we were casing the neighborhood or extremely lost! hehe.)

As we were driving home, C* asked if he could have a reward for dropping off the goodies. (Especially since the other siblings were too afraid to go.) *ding, ding, ding* A TEACHING MOMENT. "No." I said. Then went on to explain that the world will teach him that doing good deserves a tangible reward. A trip to the treasure chest, candy, privileges... But it is more important to know that the Lord is happy with his actions. I told him that good feeling that he was feeling inside was something to remember. The reward is doing service for others.

So while our friends enjoy a treat, my family got to enjoy the sweet peace of serving others and knowing that doing a good turn is the right thing to do.

3 comments:

Susan said...

what a fun adventure! I remember the way my insides felt when we "12 days of Christmas"d Pam and Ken. Was sure they'd catch us. And the one night when Ken ran out the door trying to catch Robert as he ran to the car. Boy was I scared. Good for your son! You gotta be brave to have good clean fun sometimes.

Michelle VP said...

What fun for your family. I totally understand about your teachable moment. We've been working on that same lesson in our house too. :)

My Paper World said...

He, he! That sounds like it was great fun!