Make a Scene or Make a Memory
-Written by Royce and Judy Bailey 1992
Considering a 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old live in our house, as family life directors, we thought that sharing one of Judy’s recent days could illustrate how children teach us about God. -- "merciful...gracious, slow to anger." Ps 103:8. The day was going quite well, it was only 8:30 AM. Wanting to rehearse for an upcoming concert I sat down to practice the harp. Half way through the first song (ten in all) I noticed that no babbling, laughter, or giggles were coming from the room in which the children were playing. I got up to investigate. Much to my horror the kitchen and family room were filled with a cloud of white substance, yes a 10 pound bag of flour covered the floor and filled the air. Jillee and Josee looked like they had been hit by a snow storm, as did the house. My immediate thought was to__________(cannot be printed) and then I remembered a thought from a book I read (pre-children), "Make a scene or make a memory." Mustering up a few ounces of control I fished for the camera through my flour-dusted contact lenses. Snap went the camera and I had made a memory. Back to the harp for more practice and another quiet moment surfaced. This time my children were making onion soup on their play stove that Grandma had given them for Christmas. Yes, with real onions, they first peeled the onions leaving them all over the kitchen and family room floor, then placed some of them in their play pots to cook on their stove until "tender", just like mommy. I had already vacuumed the floor twice that morning, once after breakfast and again after the flour tornado, and it was only 9:00 AM. I thought certainly this time I could make a scene and teach these children a lesson but that book, "Make a Scene or Make a Memory," haunted my soul. Snap went the camera, whoosh went the vacuum and it was back to the harp. Several songs later you guessed it, that dreaded silence which revealed a floor and sofa sprinkled with bits and pieces of uncooked ‘Top-Ramen’ soup noodles. Two little faces smiled with glee when my eyes fell upon this mess, how could I make a scene. Snap went the camera, whoosh went the vacuum and yes, this "Make a Memory" gets to be expensive film-wise but will be well worth the investment in memories and emotions life years to come. Eccl 7:9 PS The cupboard housing the above products has been childproofed.
