The Biggest Entitlement Program

If you're like me government entitlement programs are very unsettling. When in history has it ever proved affective to give people free handouts with out requiring any sacrifice on the recipients behalf? So, if it is that concerning when the government does it, why I am I not doing everything in my power to remove entitlement from the little ones in my care? One of our jobs as parents is to teach our children discipline. If all we do is give them freely God's resources that have been entrusted to us how are we teaching them discipline and sacrifice?. The last two weeks around here have been rough. I could easily blame it on two weeks with Grandma and the kiddos getting everything their hearts desire, but I think I would be missing the truth. While that may have contributed to the problem, I was made painfully aware of the monsters I've been creating after the celebration of Caleb's birthday party. He has been naughty ever since we came home from Texas. It has been pretty overwhelming watching my little ones treat each other as though stuff is far more important than loved ones, but until Sunday it was more a theory. After a wonderful party and great celebration one would think I would have the happiest little boy on the planet. Oh contraire! His behavior resembled the little boy in the movie Problem Child.  I decided to take away everything for a few days to help him feel the pain of his bad choices, but what I realized after two days is that my theory was actually reality. I finally fully understand the devastation that results when our focus gets on things.  In the past two days the kiddos have been getting along fabulously. No fighting over toys and I haven't heard the words "hey that's mine" or seen Caleb plow his sister as she confiscates a Dinosaur. I am working on our language to teach them everything is God's and none of it is ours, so they realize they are gifts entrusted to them. A great reminder to me as well. 


I lost my beloved iPhone. I was pretty upset. I left it on the playground and when I went back to retrieve it, it was gone. I wanted to cry, but I thought about the message I am trying to teach my children about stuff. I realized it is just stuff and can be replaced. Maybe not now, because it would cost a few hundred dollars. For now maybe God wants to remove an item that frequently metabolises my time and robs me at times of being all he wants me to be.