Fun Night and That Lesson I Learned

Last night I had the great privilege of watching two of my 3 nieces, Callie and Natalie.  I love watching them mainly for selfish reasons.  They entertain my child and when she gets into something she shouldn't they are quick to holler Aunt Leslie, Mattie is into... insert whatever here.  Here is a picture of how our evening started off.

All of the girls go to the same day care so I picked them all up from school.  Mattie has a set of Elmo books and they are all reading them, well Callie is probably the only one attempting to read, but they are all looking

After I picked them up we went back to our house to have some fun.  They really do play well together.

Mattie was so excited because Natalie was reading her Itsy Bitsy Spider

This is the girls all watching Sesame Street.  I have a rule they can't sit too close to the TV. They have to sit on the rug or on the couch.  This is how they lined up on the rug.  It is too funny, that they lined up by age. All that is missing is Aubrey and Ford.

This is the girls on the couch, again lined up by age on their own.

After that we ate supper then we made cookies and decorated with icing and sprinkles.  Callie asked how to ice the cookie. I told her it was easier if you held the cookie in your hand and iced the cookie that way. Here is Callie she was already eating her cookie before I could snap a picture.

Then there is Natalie.  When I looked at her hands they were covered in icing and nothing was on the cookie. I said, " Natalie why is the icing on your hand and not your cookie ? " She looked at me and said "Aunt Leslie you said to ice my hand." I guess I should have been more clear in the hold the cookie in your hand and ice the cookie. Here is Natalie

This is the face and...

here are the hands.  I love this child.  She cracks me up

Mattie kept on doing her "Where's is she hand and face this morning"  she was saying where Ca Ca (Callie) I tried to get a picture of it but this is all I got.  I think it is still cute.

Now for the lesson I learned.  I subscribe to a daily devotional/thought for the day thing  from Max Lucado and yesterday this was in my e-mail.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  Matthew 5:4 NKJV

To mourn for your sins is a natural outflow of poverty of spirit
. . . Many know they are wrong, yet they pretend they are right. As a result, they never taste the exquisite sorrow of repentance.
Of all the paths to joy, this one has to be the strangest. True blessedness, Jesus says, begins with deep sadness.

Wow I never thought of it that way.  I have always thought I would be blessed because I had mourned so much.  I mourned for Kevin, my summer missionary partner, who passed away in '98, I mourned for my daddy, grandmother, and Uncle David who all died within 24 months starting in June of 2000. 

I never really gave much thought of mourning for my sins. The definition of mourn is to feel or express deep regret for.  Shouldn't we feel regret over the times we wrong our Lord.

In talking with my mother the other day I realized, or really was more reminded, of something about myself.  I am so great at looking at what other people "do wrong"  whatever it may be, and then when I "do something wrong" (i.e. overeat, judge others, don't stand up for what I believe) I am the first to justify it. Overeating, I simple say it is only one cookie or I have eaten so well all day, one whatever want hurt.  In judging others I make their sin so much worse than anything I would ever do. (sarcasm intended) In standing up for what I believe, I fear that I will hurt someones feelings and I don't want to get into it for whatever reason. 

I am going to start working on thinking of my sin in a spirit of great mourning.  When I wrong God shouldn't I feel and express great regret?  I think I should.  Father please forgive me when I have sinned against you.  I know my sin is no more insignificant or significant than others.  I love you Lord and thank you for all the hard times that have come my way because I know they only make me stronger. I rejoice for all the good that has come out of those times.  It make me enjoy the good times of so much more.

Y'all have a great weekend

Leslie