I Get 5 Cookies and You Get None

Sometimes you have to make a bunch of cookies and not share them with the kids to teach them an important lesson. And then yes, share those cookies!

 

 

It’s the dreaded middle-season. Is anyone else feeling it? March should be all about spring, the excitement of Spring break and my all-time favorite holiday coming up, Easter, but instead I feel cold, tired and shhhh maybe even a little ornery at times. Why is that?

 

My sister and I have a theory, it’s called middle-season. You see, winter meant Thanksgiving, Christmas, a new year and of course all of the fun activities like parties, skiing and my favorite part, lots of good food. Is there anything better than a big bowl of your favorite soup with hot, freshly baked bread for dipping? Mmmmm or warm, gooey cinnamon rolls while the snow piles up? I happen to have the absolute best recipe for those by the way. I think I’ll make some as a surprise for the kids because don’t worry, IT’S SNOWING AGAIN. 

But by the time March hits, you’re so over soups, stews and casseroles, and freezing all day doesn’t sound like any kind of fun I want. 

Ahhhh but it’s not spring yet so busting out salads and lemon everything doesn’t make sense yet. So you’re stuck. It’s awkward and itchy and you’re over it but there’s no way out. 

 

And so becomes our study of the thing that will bring us light and warmth when our souls are craving it so much. The middle-season leaves us sitting instead of searching. So I fought back this year. Forget you, middle-season! Our family is doing things different so keep the light in our hearts even if the sun keeps pushing back. 

 

 

Every week each of us takes a different section and we prepare our own little lesson on it. Sometimes it’s as simple as coloring in pictures to tell a story and other times it’s watching a video or just snuggling up under one ginormous blanket fort to read together with a trusted snack like, Salted Caramel Pretzel Snaps orChurro Check Mix.

 

If you’re like me, the variety can get exhausting, it’s like making dinner every night, always needing a new idea. But when you involve more people, even your friends to come over and be in charge one night, you can reach hearts in new ways. For example, last night we concentrated on just one verse, Matthew 7:11. It’s about giving good gifts. Our kids had fought over the last two waffles that morning, two kids, two waffles but one wanted them all for herself because the other had an extra waffle the day before. Cue my eye roll. 

 

That night after dinner we sat down to study and I had 5 cookies (5 people in the family) on a plate, as we opened our scriptures I started eating. Our 8 year old asked if she could have one and the others chimed in. I said, NO.

 

This went on and on until she started to cry. Now I know, I sound mean, but I let her because I know her and feeling things would be ok for her. I told them, “You all get treats at school and I don’t. Who has had a treat this week?” They all had. “So basically if you add up all the extra treats you got, I DESERVE these to myself to make us equal.” That made them confused and they said, but if you have something good shouldn’t you always want to share it? Especially if you have enough?

Ahhhhhh, there it is. We read the scripture, talked about how we should always love and want to share good things with others, even if it means we take a little less for ourselves because not only is it right to do, but our Heavenly Father always sees our kindness and blesses us just for trying to bless others. And even when no one has had a treat, I make them to share with you all because I WANT TO BLESS YOU. So it is the same with Him. He knows how to make us happy and wants to regardless of anything else. 

 

We all ate cookies and talked about the verse for longer than we would have if I hadn’t noticed a moment that was applicable. You see, it’s not about perfect study in my home, it’s about changing. And changing happens when we’ve got our eyes wide open, regardless of the season or busyness of life and then create a chance to talk together. It’s not about teaching moments, kids have enough of those, it’s about opening hearts and discussion.