Partners in Parenting

It's NOT A Joke!

OK, you can "write me up" for pestering my kids if you want, but at home, I continually ask my kids, "Do you know what the longest distance in the world is?"  They just roll their eyes, and tell me to stop bugging them.  Seriously, do you know the answer?  At my house, it is the distance between the sink and the dishwasher - yep, that's it.  Now, they are only 6 inches apart, but you'd think it was a million miles based on how well my lovely children will dutifully take their dishes to the sink after every meal and place them in the sink... and life goes on.  They even walk past the dishwasher to get to the sink, but not one thing gets into the dishwasher.  WHY CAN'T THEY PUT THEM IN THE DISHWASHER?  Honestly!  We even ask the kids to clear the table on occasion, and they are happy to help.  If we ask them to clear the table AND load the dishwasher, they moan like crazy and aren't willing to help.  That distance is really short.  The dishwasher is right there, so why do they act like it is so far away?  Well, God's forgiveness is right there for all who believe, yet don't we sometimes act like it is too far away to utilize it.  Why do we think forgiveness is so far away?  Maybe for the same reason my kids don't load the dishwasher - it takes a little extra effort.  Utilizing the dishwasher means loading it.  Utilizing God's forgiveness means repenting of our sins. 

Load the dishwasher = clean kitchen

Ask for forgiveness = clean heart

Part of understanding God's unconditional love is confessing our sin with the assurance they He will never reject us or deny us the forgiveness of ALL our sins.  And the distance He removes our sin really IS the longest distance on earth. 

Psalm 103:11,12 "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

Family Discussion Points!

Talk about the chores the kids don't do that would be so helpful.

Share some stories about the longest family trip you've ever taken.

Share a time of repenting for sins and reminding every family member that God, through Jesus' death and resurrection, has removed every sin from them.