Go to the Ant . . .

A certain little boy is struggling big time with laziness.

This is nothing new, of course, but

I am concerned at his increasing skill at 

finding ways to sneak and be dishonest

to get out of things.

Part way through breakfast I learned that he did not feed the cats

as he had led me to believe.

I sent him out to take care of it

and I turned to prayer.

"What do I do, Lord?

I need wisdom here".

[ I'm fast learning I'll spin my wheels if I do anything my way. ]

Little man returned and I plainly told him that

I was waiting on the Lord

to show me how to work with him on this problem.

I asked him to take a seat on the bench

and to wait with me.

He wanted to throw a tanturm

he wanted to scream and thrash,

but I was firm about him staying in control of himself.

I talked to him and shared with him that I loved him 

and I wanted him to grow up a man.... not a lazy bum;

a useful person that could be depended on, 

instead of a person that no one could trust.

I told him I was praying for wisdom and 

I wouldn't do anything until I heard from God.

I finished breakfast,

I helped Missy get ready for school,

I even showered

And nothing was coming to me.

 so I sat in the rocker with my Bible and just prayed quietly

for a verse or an idea

when a little thought popped into my mind.

"Go to the ant thou sluggard...."

This had been our theme back in September.

James knows the Bible verses on ants and sluggards well.

He understands the characteristics each represent.

This thought triggered another . . .

Before Christmas Christina cleaned the closet under the stairs 

and she found our old Doorpost charts from when the girls were young.

She thought we might be able to use them again 

and they went into a pile to be worked through later when we had time.

The Go to the Ant chart,

well, of course, there must be something helpful on there!

James and I explored the chart together and there we found this:

As vinegar to my teeth, eh?

Smoke to my eyes!

How absolutely fitting.

He didn't know much about vinegar, but he can relate to lemon juice -

which he hates. Smoke in his eyes he can also relate to.

And there is that sluggard word again!

I believe with all my heart GOD gave us that verse for today.

James believes it too.

And when something is from God it carries a lot more weight than when it comes from mom.

The character trait hasn't been instantly erased...

in fact he's writing the verse out for the second time today...

but it sure is comforting to know that GOD is working with us and through us

to accomplish His purpose and His character in us.

The goal to is have the characteristics of an ant.
We don't even want to see a depiction of a sluggard.