Up And At 'Em!

First thing this morning, before my feet hit the floor, I was already being called to administer biblical discipline to the fleshy part of Three's backside. Despite One's pleading and warning, Three willfully and wickedly took a pen and wrote on One's quilt -- this is the Sunbonnet Sue quilt that One treasures because she watched me applique and quilt it by hand over the course of two years. Three can behave so badly! I don't remember One and Two exercising this kind of malice. I worry about her.

Then Three does something that balances the scales! (My scales -- not His.) How wonderful! At 3 years old, Three is my best apprentice. Of course the other two wanted to do what I did, and are quite capable or are becoming increasingly so; but neither of them wanted to learn by the discipline of observation the way Three is willing. For as stubborn as she can be, she is equally determined and genuinely helpful. She has a servant's heart, an inclination toward all things domestic and will probably be the one who raises an army of God-fearing children for the Lord.

Today, during Two's reading lesson at the kitchen table, Three was busy collecting her art supplies -- pencils, sharpener and paper -- with the intention of drawing some pictures while she waited for her lesson. The sharpener accidently came apart spilling wooden pencil shavings all over the floor. Now, I only knew this had happened because I caught Three squatting to the floor, painstakingly but quietly picking up every shaving between her tiny fingers. It took more than a few minutes to accomplish, but she didn't give up until there was no sign of the mess. When she finished picking them up, she polished the job with the hand-broom and dust pan. When all was done and the broom and pan had been returned to their proper place, she resumed collecting her supplies and the whole scenario replayed itself -- from the falling open of the sharpener (which she hadn't emptied into the trash, but rather just refilled from the spill) all the way to the sweeping of the last shaving. No complaints.

I was delighted to be able to praise her and explain to her that what she had just done was called "responsibility." I have very high hopes for Three.