Today, I decided to spoil the kids by making a chocolatey treat I found on pinterest. So, using the remaining crescent roll dough from dinner (another winning recipe from pinterest), I baked up chocolate croissants. The house smelled divine, as we sat down to dinner. The boys & I looked forward to gobbling up every morsel as soon as our plates were empty. And then it started: almost immediately, Jo decided he didn't want to eat his vegetables. Little snot started crying, whining and even gagging over every tiny bite! *eyeroll* We've never had a problem with veggies & I knew he was just itching for attention - well, he got it. After several warnings, I was left with administering the punishment: no more dinner & NO desert. Meanwhile, the rest of us enjoyed our very lovely, very chocolatey croissants. Once the tears started to flow, the teaching began. We talked about sin and it's consequences. He understood that his sin was disobedience and that his consequence was no desert. He wiped his tears and apologized; and after forgiveness was issued and love restated, all was done.
A few minutes later, while I was minding my own business washing the dishes, the Lord decided to teach me a lesson too! I thought about that desert. About how lovely it was. It was just the right balance of crispiness, and ooey-gooyness. Equal parts sweet and savory. Not too big, not too small. I really enjoyed it! But, Jo wasn't able to enjoy it. I had made it for him...for his enjoyment...because I love him...but he couldn't have it. He had sinned & had missed out on the blessing.
POW! The Lord whacked me upside the head with that one! How often do I sin? How often to do I complain about my veggies? How often am I ungrateful for what I have & discontent? Wow. All the time! I question. I doubt. I cry, whine & gag over my veggies all the time! So often, I find myself behaving much like the Children of Israel, wandering in the wilderness. Even as I see the Lord guiding & providing, I start to murmur in my heart. And you know what?! I'm no different than they were. I'm no different than Jo. It's disobedience, it's a lack of faith, and the bottom line is - it's SIN! If it's sin...then there's a consequence. What have I missed out on? What has my sin kept me from receiving from the Lord? He loves me just as I love my children (and so much more!), and I wonder how many treats He's made for me, that I couldn't have?
What a heavy thought. I stood there staring out the window, with my hands covered in soap, and my heart filled with conviction. God is far better to me than I deserve!! I enjoy such a life! I get to stay at home with my boys, homeschool, quilt, sing, teach Sunday School, clean some modulars, clean & organize my home, drive a somewhat working vehicle, eat 3 meals a day, etc, etc, etc.. All these things are a gift, but what more could He have for me? What "gift" could he have waiting to give to me, just as soon as I finish my veggies?!
The Lord had SO much planned for Moses. He had a land flowing with milk and honey and a people to enjoy it with. But, he got angry, smote the rock, and missed out on the blessing he'd been working towards his entire life.
I prayed right then and there for forgiveness & thanked the Lord for the lesson He had for me...from a croissant.
(Ref. Numbers 20: 1-13)
Oh, and in case you were wondering. Here are the links to both the dinner & desert recipes mentioned in this post. =D
For dinner, we had Crescent Chicken as found on this blog, via pinterest:
For desert, we had Chocolate Croissants as found on this blog, also via pinterest:
