Bath time Stories

   It's a new trick she's picked up the last couple of weeks. She now knows how to open the drain in the bath tub. She loves to open the drain and then listen to the water as it leaves the bathtub at a rapid speed and flows down the drain. Then everytime like it's the first time, she looks up and realizes all at once that her beloved bath water is leaving her tub. She looks at the water, looks up at me. Looks back down at the water, back up at me and then the tears begin to flow. I close the drain and all is better in her little bathtub world (until tomorrow's bath when she opens the drain).

  This scene is redundant, hillarious and pitiful all rolled into one. Yesterday was a messy day. We played outside and Meritt got sweaty and dirty so before lunch we headed in for a bath. The scenario that I described above played out and I got her out of the bath all the while trying my best not to cry at how funny and cute it was. Yesterday afternoon I spray painted a piece of furniture and Meritt played in a huge pile of dirt. Her hands, feet, and seersucker bubble all covered in dry dirt. So for the second time we headed in for a bath.

   It was during the second bath while Meritt was looking at her water and wondering why she couldn't enjoy the water in the tub and the sound of the drain all at the same time without having to sacrifice either that I was struck. Over these last couple of weeks I've thought how funny this little bath time scenario is. Yesterday I became reflective of my own life. How many times have I ate whatever I wanted, only to look down at the scale to find that the numbers were growing? Much like Meritt I've looked up and thought why can't I have both? Whatever I want to eat and still weigh 120? I have focused on things and people more than I have focused on God only to stop and wonder why I feel like God is so far away? Again I look up and wonder why can't I put all the things that bring me pleasure before God but still have God stay right beside me?

   As adorable as the story of Meritt in the bath is, it was also a reminder to me that I can't have everything. I can't have all the pleasures of this world without consequences. Every choice we make has a consequence. Whether we lose bath water or we get a speeding ticket. Every choice has a consequence. May we all be aware of our choices and stop and think before making decisions.