It’s Yellow Ball Monday, and Alice Daniels has the ball:

A number of years ago, I was in that worn-down part of the day of getting the children ready for bed. I had given my 18-month-old, Elaine, her bath, tucked her up in her crib, and was now trying to corral my 4-year-old, Lucy, and get her ready for bed. As all parents know, some days that venture is about as fruitful as herding a roomful of cats, and this was one of those days.

I finally got her bathed and dried off, but not without her wiggling and giggling and talking non-stop on a variety of topics ranging from the merits of string cheese to ladybug funerals, and generally disobeying every directive I gave her.

Finally I said, “I am getting so cross with you. You are not obeying. I want you to go into your room, put on your pajamas, and get into bed. I’ll come and check on you in a minute.” She went away, downcast, and when I went into her room a minute later, she was standing there, her big, brown eyes filled with unshed tears. She threw her arms around me and cried, “Oh, Mama! I’m so sorry. I will obey you. Please—have mercy on me!” Of course, I couldn’t resist that plea, and we ended the night on a happy note.

When I left Lucy’s room, I went across the hall to check on the baby. I peeked through a crack in the
doorway, and saw Elaine, lying in her crib in the dark, waving her pajama-clad feet in the air, and singing a little song she had apparently composed herself. The lyrics were: “Mommy, mommy, mommmmeee. No way, no way, no way!”

Several years later, this story never fails to crack me up, but I wonder sometimes if I must look similar to God. How often do I sit in the dark, kicking my feet, and saying “No way”? How much better after a spell of disobedience that I fling myself upon Him, re-promise to obey, and beg for mercy!

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalms 136:1

Alice N. Daniels is an educator, writer and editor. She teaches at Judson College in Illinois, and writes/edits for Significant Living Magazine, but I’m pretty sure that her favorite students/writers/readers are the two little girls that call her ‘Mama’. 

Alice and her husband, Darren, live in the Rockford, IL area, which is just far enough away from me that we haven’t yet met in person. But we’re working on a little summer plan which includes WAR International jewelry, tea drinking, and some sort of scrumptious concoction made by our mutual friend, Jamie. Stay tuned! 

If you’re interested in sending a story for another Yellow Ball Monday, check out more info here.