A Tasty Topping

As the family experienced life and learning together, we had some lessons that seemed to work as intended and some that didn't (the infamous Candy Day). One of the hands-on lessons that seemed to get the point across was the introduction of a very tasty topping for our dessert one evening. You have to understand that we rarely had dessert and very very rarely had ice cream. So the group was delighted when we out of the blue (it was not a birthday) announced ice cream for dessert with a special topping. However they were very dismayed when we started handing out bowls of ice cream with a rich black topping of dirt. They did not even like the bowls that had only a little bit of topping on them (although one son said he just scraped his off ). Of course we talked about how the dirt was like sin and messed up your life even if there was only a little bit. Lest you think that we traumatized the children with lessons, we did then give them bowls of clean ice cream. The part that made this lesson memorable was that we did really have their attention (which was not always the case). So now you know how difficult learning was in the Boyd family.

It Is Time To Pray

One family custom that we started so many years ago that it is foggy in my brain is holding hands when we pray at meals. We probably did it to help corral little hands and bodies that were learning to pay attention. Maybe there was hope of encouraging family unity also. It was probably slightly awkward for some of our dinner guests, especially the non-Christians. Oh well, Gerry would just mention we hold hands when we pray and off we would go.

I do remember a little more clearly when we started doing that when we ate out. It seemed like since we are free to pray in public we ought to thank God when we can. But I remember wondering what other people around would think. Soon I learned a valuable tip. If you don't look around to see other reactions, you don't know what they are. It works for me!