Shouting at the Piles

With four little ones and a large & very hairy dog, I've spent what seems like half of my lifetime sweeping our floors.  I have a system when I sweep, it's not perfect, but it's mine.   I do the edges first, then the open areas, then under the tables and chairs, kitchen, dining room, living room, all the while leaving little piles of debris here and there.  I then use a dustpan to finish the job.  Sadly it's at this juncture that my system usually falls apart.  (For those of you with a toddler, this may sound familiar.)  Zayin loves these disgusting, yet potential filled piles.  And he has made it his goal to leave no unattended pile unturned.  When he hears me pull out the broom he gleefully runs over to my piles kicking and batting at them sending dirt, hair, and crumbs flying in all directions.  Yuck.

Since I don't want to have my precious piles sent back into all the nooks and crannies of my kitchen I have been dutifully working with him on this habit. The first couple of times he completely ignored me.  I continued to train.   The next few times he gently told himself "no, no" and then went right ahead and...blam-o! - Dirt everywhere.  Grrr.

This morning as I was sweeping and checking my piles over my shoulder (There is a reason we call him "Ninja" - he's very stealth.) I see Zayin toddling up getting ready for his morning ritual.  He comes running right up to the pile and squats down (I stay back waiting to see what he will do).  Then to my surprise instead of playing in the pile he starting yelling and shaking his chubby little fingers at it.  (I am cracking up at this point.)  There he was hovering just inches over the dirt and shouting "NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!"  He did this over and over until I wondered if he might pass out.  He then got up, sighed and walked away.  He had finally conquered his temptation.  And once again I learn a life lesson from my children.

Though a very humorous analogy it reminded me of one of Jonathan Edwards resolutions.

#56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

For little Zay this was a very big fight, with a very big temptation and though he was unsuccessful before, he kept at it until he was able to overcome.  His spunk has inspired me to "never give over", but to continue to "shout at my dust piles" "however unsuccessful I may be, knowing that God will always provide me a way of escape.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.