Saturday, February 16, 2008

"I Will Lie Down and Sleep In Peace" or "Be perfect"

Sorry I have been away a few days friends... we are on "holiday" as my Mother-in-love says. Our extended family on my husband's side has escaped away to the mountains. We are having a lovely time in Sevierville, Tennessee, in a beautiful cabin owned by some of our friends. Lots of shopping and eating and sleeping going on here ...or should I say attempted sleeping.
Which brings me to the reason for my post today. Yet another wonderful conversation with my son Spencer.

Let me set it up for you... Yesterday my lovely daughter woke up at 6am. Now mind you... she doesn't even get up until 7am during the school week... so why on earth she decided on a day that we could all sleep late to get up so early...I have no idea. She is the child who would usually sleep until 10am if I would let her. Anyway, she proceeded to wake up everyone in the house.

So, we made a rule that the rest of the trip, you couldn't wake anyone up before 8am.
This morning, my son Spencer woke up at 7am and wanted to go upstairs. (We have the basement level of the house.) I put him off until 7:30am and finally allowed him to go up to the second level where his grandparents were. I was sure they would be up. However, the last thing I said was..."Do not go to the 3rd floor and wake up your Aunt Liz and Walt!"

So what does he do?... He goes straight to the third level, opens the door to his Aunt's room and stands above her bed staring at her until she wakes up. Then his sister comes downstairs to tell on him. So I went upstairs to call him back to the basement for his punishment and in the process woke up my nephew, while calling for Spencer to come back downstairs. Let's just say... no sleeping is going on and it is before 8am... which is against the rules.

So, he comes back downstairs to the room where his father and I are sleeping... or attempting to sleep. We put him in bed to have a "talk" with him about his disobedience. A "talk" usually does the trick with Spencer because he is so tenderhearted. Upon discussion of what he had done wrong, (not necessarily waking someone up, but the exact opposite of what I told him not to do) he begins to cry. My husband is never one to be too harsh, so after we discussed what Spencer had done, he told him his punishment was to stay between us in bed totally quiet and still while we slept for another two hours...btw he was just kidding. (Side note...Spencer loves to get in bed with us, but it is impossible for him to stay quiet. The child talks all the time. Which the doctors said he would never do... but that is a post for another time) We were snuggling and "squishing" him between us and just talking.

Here is how the conversation went.
Greg: "Spencer, do you know what you could do to make me more proud of you?"

Spencer: "Nothing"

Greg: "That's right. Do you know why I am so proud of you?"

Spencer: "Because I am perfect." (No self esteem issues here people)

(Now about this time, I decide that I am going to throw in a Bible teaching moment and ask him why he is perfect... expecting him to say "because Christ lives in me" or something deep and profound... which he usually does... so I say:)

Me: "Spencer, do you know why you are perfect?"

Spencer: "Because I have two perfect parents."

Both of us burst out laughing at this point and freed him from his "punishment". At least he knows how to talk his way out of trouble. I'd say that was a good answer. Makes me feel better about this.

I think I need to make my chilren memorize these verses:

Psalm 4:8
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

What do you think?

11 comments:

Joy said...

This is a darling post! Our girls are now 20 and 16; but I well remember those days. Sleep will come! You will have to wake THEM up! We have stayed in those cabins; they are great. Neat spot for ladies is called Beehive in Sevierville. It's hundreds of square feet of costume jewelry, among other things. Husbands don't seem to enjoy it!! Have a great time!


Joy

Cheri said...

Thanks for making me smile!

DeAnna said...

I LOVE it. Isn't it amazing that every child has that talent of waking up early when they don't NEED to but never doing so when there is an actual reason?

Carol said...

I am so cracking up right now! Spencer is a hoot!! But he was right, though.

Missy said...

Oh, that made me laugh out loud!

He could get away with murder with that answer!!

Kimberly said...

So glad you guys are getting away for some fun in the mountains! We stayed in a cabin in Pigeon Forge last summer. Since you aren't getting sleep, I hope you are atleast having lots of fun with eating and shopping part!
:)

Denise C said...

What a wonderful time you are having in Pigeon Forge! We are about an hour and a half away....in upper east TN.. We love P.FOrge! Actually my hubby and I were talking about planning a trip there next month for our daughter's 12th b-day.
Have a wonderful trip..hope you get some sleep hee-hee!
(P.s. found you from Kmom3's blog)
Sweet Blessings to you!!

Jenny said...

What fun! As one who has taken many trips to that neck of the woods I know you all had a blast!

I love the outlet malls up there, maybe a Spring time trek is needed for us to see all the flowers blooming!

Celly B said...

What a funny story, Amy!

We will be in Sevierville in August with my husband's family. This trip will be for my in-laws' 50th anniversary. It is hard for his siblings to all get together as we're in SC, Tennessee, Oregon, and abroad. My husband wants to try and get a family portrait made while we're there since we're rarely together.

Hope your trip continues to go well!

Mary said...

I found myself laughing outloud after reading this!!!
How PRECIOUS!!
I found your blog as a link from Kimberly's A Planting of the Lord. You made my day!!

Joanne@ Blessed... said...

Amy,

What a sweet post. I love those teaching moments with our children that come upon us without notice.

Your family sounds just precious.

Joanne :O)