"Lutheran Barbie" Confesses!

Okay, I confess that I was thought to be a very "good little girl" but really had an ornery streak in me. For the most part, I really wanted to please my parents, teachers, and other people; however, that old sin and lack of self-control in me just took over to do some pretty bad things. When I was 7, I played with matches in my bedroom and almost caught my bed on fire. I ran to the bathroom to get a dixie cup full of water and threw it on the the little fire on my bed. Needless to say, I "saved" my bed!!

I also liked playing with my tropical fish whether it was taking them out to pet them or put them in the bathtub so they would have a bigger place to swim! It's funny how they didn't survive after that! I wonder why!!?! :) Poor fish, I feel really bad for them now! And, I just cannot stand to see animals suffer either. God must have had a purpose in this little incident after all!!

But the topper of them all was my Barbie doll head experience! I was 7 and was shopping with my mom in a dimestore. Along with me was one of my beloved Barbie dolls. The only problem was that my Barbie doll had a rather short hair cut (and ugly I might add) due to my poor skills as a Barbie beautician! As I was admiring all the pretty Barbie dolls in the store, I decided that I didn't want my Barbie doll with her new hair cut anymore. My mom was in another aisle and nobody from the store was in sight so I decided to pop off the beautiful Barbie doll head from the store's Barbie doll and place it on my own Barbie doll. I then put my old Barbie doll head on the Barbie doll in the store and went on my merry little way never to be caught. (The manufacturers probably decided to use cellophane packaging after my little incident!! :) )

My husband and family always ask me as we reflect on my childhood days: "Where were your parents?" Well, they were usually busy doing their work at these various times and just trusted me a little TOO much!! They just didn't realize that I was so curious and that the mind was aroused so easily!! They were wonderful, loving Christian parents who taught me to put Christ first in my life and serve Him and others. They loved us kids and would give the shirts off their backs for us. They didn't give us everything we wanted though and taught us how to be responsible and hard-working citizens. Along the way, I really did learn to be responsible and conscientious! :) These little incidents of disrespect and disobedience did fizzle out for the most part. However, that old sin has never left me, and day after day I struggle to do what is right as Paul refers to in Romans 7. I want to serve Him and please Him even though all my efforts are really tainted. I know that Christ has died for all the sins I have committed in the past, am committing right now, and will commit in the future. He is what makes this old sinner a saint. What a gift He has given to me and to all of us!

So, what kind of parent am I? I am a parent who is cognizant of the sin within our children and who tries very hard to keep a good eye on what's going on at all times. Do I fail? Of course. Does my husband fail? Yes, but we just point them to Christ and His word and remind them of both the law and the gospel. The rest is in God's hand to work the Holy Spirit into their hearts!