If you have ever (I mean, how could you not) want a GLIPMSE into scripture reading at our house...today is your lucky day.
Last night. 8:00. We all gather in "the green room." I pass out scriptures and have everybody turn to the page. Like always, James and I are the only ones who follow directions. We scold them to do it or else. We finally give in and do it for them.
Jake is wandering aimlessly around the room looking for something to do. He is already bored. We haven't even started. We scold him to either choose mom or dad and sit down. He hesitantly chooses mom. He lasts about 30 seconds. He gets back up and walks around. He is scolded again. Meanwhile, Naomi is prancing back and forth between her dad and mom in her pink and green sundress. Luckily she is wearing underwear. She twirls and laughs and taps her dad on the shoulder as he is trying to read. "Just a minute," dad tells her and continues to read. "O.K. Sure," she says and then taps again. And again. Apparently a second is the new minute. It must be important. It's not. She just wants his attention. I think she really wants him to tell her how beautiful her prancing is.
Without her dads attention she continues to raise her dress over her head and shouts, "underwear!" Not just once.
Jake is still aimlessly walking around the room. I sternly tell him it is his turn and he growls and makes his way slowly over to my side. I point to the verse. I hear a groan. He starts. And than stops. Apparently he hates scripture reading. He walks away mid-word. We both sternly tell him the consequence if he chooses not to read. He comes over to me again. He looks at the verse. Is he going to do it?
Uh, nope. Not tonight. He walks away again. We remind him that he will not get to choose a story tonight. I guess he doesn't care. Oh, well. We just lost one. Naomi we really never had. So we move on to William. Only to find he hasn't been following along. "Uh, where are we again?"
Now I groan. Seriously?
He looks at his verses and starts crying. "I want the longest verses. Are these the longest verses. I have to have the longest verses." His mouth is wide open as he bursts into instantaneous sobs. We pause for a minute so he can count the lines. He must have the longest.
By this point Jake is out of the room. Naomi is still prancing tapping on our shoulders and showing us her Dora underwear. William has calmed down and is satisfied with the longest verses of the night.
Sadly, I am not quite sure what we read about. But we read. Can't wait for tonight.
6 comments:
Jessie, your posts make my day! I'm glad that we're not the only ones that struggle with scripture reading. Our oldest does a pretty good job (as long, again, as he gets the longest ones and gets to start), but our little girl is a handful! Half the time she demands to read, too, which is a guaranteed ten minute battle. But it's getting done, right!?
and that's what is important. They will always remember that reading scriptures is important to do because dad and mom made us do it everynight!
Yes, yes, I know its hard and insane at times (or all of the time) but you are doing what the lord wants you to do and you guys are doing some awesome parenting to keep doing it even when its difficult!
I love that William cries because he might not have the longest verses and he has to count them. We really need to live in the same town so he and Spencer can be BFF's!! They are so similar
Oh that makes me feel really good. I feel like I am reading to myself most nights.
What?! That happens at your house too?? Shocking how similar all these kids are! What a relief to know others have the same experience. Thanks for being brutally honest!!!
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