The Incident

Last Sunday, we went to my brother's house after church. He and my sister-in-law had offered to put us on their cell phone's family plan, and Papa Bear was beyond ecstatic pretty excited to pick out a phone (which, incidentally, have come a long way in the past two years). For the record, I am still anti-cell phone. Not being able to reach someone who has a cell phone is about a zillion times more frustrating than just not having the option of calling. But, whatev. Papa Bear is happy, and we have the absolute coolest ring tone ever.

And maybe the phone has already come in handy.

And maybe I have rediscovered text flirting since I can text Papa Bear from my e-mail.

While we were sitting on the couch talking phones, Tiny Dancer skulked over with a tear stained face. I asked her what was wrong, and she showed me a wad of gum that had become embedded in her gorgeous long hair. "Oh babe, don't worry," I said as I walked her into the kitchen and grabbed the peanut butter from an overhead cabinet. A little peanut butter, followed by a quick wash in the kitchen sink, and her hair was as good as new. It didn't hit me until after the fact that I shouldn't have made the ordeal quite so painless.

"Tiny Dancer?" I asked. "Where did you get gum?"

Just then, her siblings and cousins ran in carrying an empty bubble gum-by-the-foot container that all four parents quickly denounced, "I have never see that before. That is definitely not ours."

Tiny Dancer dropped her head. Knowing how easily she embarrasses, I began saying our goodbyes. But once we were home, the quizzing commenced! It took at least ten minutes for her to admit that she had taken the gum from a little girl at church. Once I was sure she understood that "taken" was in fact "stolen," I let the issue drop.

This is our first incident with theft (besides pocketing a friend's toy to return it the next day), and I was absolutely mortified. I couldn't march her back inside the grocery store to apologize to the clerk. I couldn't even call the little girl's mom because they were visitors whom I hadn't had the chance of meeting.

Come to church, and get your kid's stuff swiped! Fantastic!

I was thankful to be able to implement our newest system, and I priced the pack of gum at twenty tickets (which can take days to earn because they also have to pay out tickets for negative behaviors). I know I was as thrilled as she was when, the following Wednesday, she had earned all twenty-tickets and was finally out from under the weight of discipline. She couldn't wait until Sunday, and I said more than one prayer that she would see her new friend again.

Then, yesterday morning, while dancing around the back of the church, she excitedly spotted her victim friend. "Mama, that's her!" she beamed.

Toward the end of the service, the little visitor and her sweet mother joined our church. Her mother is a single mom who has been out of church for years, and I'm so thankful that I had a reason to pray for them last week. When the congregation formed a welcome line, Tiny Dancer joined in to present a brand new package of gum. The girls smiled sweetly at each other, and Tiny Dancer spoke clearly, "I'm sorry that I stole your gum." I was so proud of my oldest baby that I almost forgot she had broken a commandment in the first place!

Time and time again, God keeps reminding me that I am not parenting for the purpose of raising well-behaved children. This is a lesson that I truly want to learn, and I am grateful for His persistence. My children do not have to be perfect. Imagine that?! But every misstep is an opportunity for me take their little hands and lead them gently to the Savior's grace and redemption.

Of course, when I think of how many times I fail at this, I am grateful that my Heavenly Father knows how imperfect I am too.

If you feel like sharing, what is a potentially embarrassing parenting moment that you are thankful for this week?