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Painting the Masterpiece

Lissa M. Lee

Have you ever had one of those discussions where the person talking to you asks your advice, but then they don't really want to hear it? They really just want you to listen to them. Feel sorry for them. Pat them on the head and then go on. I had one of those today.

A friend, who is having trouble with her child, asked what I thought she should do. I listened as she recounted the offences. I remembered moments like this during my childrearing days. I thought of a myriad of things I would do now given the same situations.

When she finished her discourse, she paused and asked, "What should I do?"

"I don't know, what do you think you should do?"

She thought for a minute. Then she gave me her strategy. It was a sound plan. One I might have considered given her circumstances.

"Sounds great!" I encouraged, "it might just work."

"But it's going to be hard," she lamented. "If I do this, I won't have time for my other activities. It's just not fair I have to be punished while he is."

"Do what you think is best," I concluded.

"But what would you do," she asked one more time.

I sat silent for a moment longer. I was just thinking. I knew she would never do what I suggested. She didn't even have the conviction to follow her own plan.

"Well," she said folding her arms waiting for my opinion.

Then I had one of those moments His Voice spoke to me.

"Have you ever painted anything?" I asked.

"Yea, why?"

"What did you have to do?"

"Well I had to get the paint, some brushes and drop clothes, that kind of stuff."

"And what else?"

"What do you mean - what else?"

"What else did you need to paint the wall or whatever?"

"I can't think of anything else. I got the paint, the brushes, the drop clothes, what else is there?"

"Time," I said, "It takes time. You can have everything you need to paint the room, but if you don't make the time, the room will never be painted."

"Oh!"

When I was carrying my first child, a dear friend told me, "God allots a set amount of time on earth, with each child. You either take the time doing the right things OR you will regret the time later over the wrong things. Better to spend a few extra minutes in disciplining them now than spend hours of anquish later visiting them in prison...or worse." Her words set the course for my childrearing. I am thankful I took the time.

Lissa M. Lee is a "retired" single mom of three awesome kids! Since emptying her nest, she has been featured in several compilation books, ezines, websites and newsletters. She can be contacted at priceless_pearl@charter.net or at www.melinda-meadow.20megsfree.com.