IT'S NOT FAIR!!

After rebuilding the marble "run" for the umpteenth time while entertaining my 5 year old and her friend tonight, I finallly cracked.  They were sharing a can of more than 100 marbles, all different colors, types yet they were fighting over how many they would get.  These girls were shoving so many marbles in their hands that they were dropping them and they were rolling all over the floor - yet there were still many, many in the can.  It was as if they were desparately trying to get the most they possibly could and make sure each had more than the other.  When one finally got one more out when the other couldn't I heard "IT'S NOT FAIR" and the tears started.   That was my breaking point,

I calmly asked both girls to put all the marbles in the can, took apart my masterpiece marble run and proceeded with the "talk".  "Girls, it does not matter which of you has more marbles, or what color or size or even how pretty - they are all going to come down and you can choose them again.  We are all old enough to share what we have and if one of us gets more than the other - then that's okay too.  Things aren't always going to work out exactly fair - in fact sometimes things are really unfair.  That's when we make the most of it and try to have fun anyway!'

I would like to think I taught them both a bit about grace and perseverance tonight.  Many times especially lately I've wanted to shout "IT'S NOT FAIR".  But even if they didn't "hear me", I reminded myself that it's okay if it's not fair, if it's not always equal, if we don't have as much as someone else - money, happiness, whatever. 

That it's okay to just make the most of it and have fun anyway.'



Jer. 29:11 thought:  I have a plan for you - are you listening?