Today Lucas wanted to play outside on the porch which leads
directly into a patch of dirt with some bushes. I was on the computer and could
keep an eye on him from where I sat. I glanced over about two minutes after he
went out and saw that he had scooped a bunch of dirt out of the bushes onto our
porch. I told him to put the dirt back and went back to working on the
computer. I looked a couple of minutes later and he had managed to spread
around the dirt that was supposed to be put back, plus add more dirt. I told
him, again, to put the dirt back. I watched him this time; it was like watching
a shovel clear away an avalanche. His hands were just not big enough and he
just didn’t entirely know how he was going to do it. I watched him for a while,
wishing I could give him further direction but knew he needed to learn how to
do it. After a while he looks up at me and says “Mommy, I need help please.” I
looked at him and thought about my answer. I finally told him to wait just a
second while I find a tool for him. I then got our little dust broom and showed
him how to use it. He then started to clean up his mess. After a while I looked
out and saw that all of the dirt was cleared away save for a few patches here
and there, he looked up and said, “I still need help, please”. So I went out
and helped him clear off the rest of the patches so that the porch was again
clean.
What an amazing experience for me to witness. I couldn’t
help but think of how Heavenly father must feel about us. We make messes in our
lives, he gives us prophets to tell us how to clean it up. He gives us the
Atonement to help us even more. And yet, we know that that’s not enough. It’s
his grace that helps us clean up the last few patches left so that we can be
clean again. In viewing this experience I am so grateful for the opportunity I
have to utilize the tools he gives me so that I may make myself cleaner. I am
grateful for my children so I can view these little life lessons through a
different perspective, and therefore grow more from it.
