What is Love? It's giving root beer floats to half of your kids

Weeks ago two of our boys got in trouble. (We'll let them remain nameless for this blog post.) As punishment for their crimes we said they could not have dessert after dinner.

As it happened, a family in the neighborhood invited us over for root beer floats that evening. We readily agreed and made our way over to their house shortly after dinner. Not a word was spoken between Megan and I as to whether or not our boys would get to have a root beer float, but both of us knew we would have to face that challenge soon.
We had a great time at the neighbor's and the time came for root beer floats. The family started to dish them up and our two troublemakers looked up at us with forlorn faces.

The family asked how many to make and we were at a crossroads:

1. Let the boys have a root beer float to avoid awkwardness, airing our dirty laundry, and the sadness that accompanies leaving a child out of the fun.

2. Stick to our principles and make sure our children understand that there are consequences for poor choices in spite of the heartache we would undoubtedly feel from withholding the treat when everyone else gets one.

"These two won't be getting a root beer float tonight" we said.

It was hard, it was sad, but it was the right thing to do. So much of this generation is "entitled" to whatever they want. Our kids need to know that choices have consequences. If parents won't teach kids responsibility and accountability then the court system certainly will.

What is Love? It's giving root beer floats to half of your kids.

What is Love? It's an 8 year old angel

Spencer W. Kimball once said: "God does notice us, and he watches over us, but it is usually through another person that he meets our needs."

For the last several months my wife, Megan, has taken it upon herself to teach our boys the power and importance of service. We call it "Service Saturdays."

Megan designates one Saturday each month where she tells the boys to get their gloves on and grab some tools to go do some good in the community where we live. Our oldest boys are 9 and 7 (soon to be 8).

They jump in the car without a complaint, say a prayer that God will direct them to do good, and off they go looking for someone to help. That alone is impressive and I praise my wife for her efforts to make men out of boys. But it doesn't stop there. Each Service Saturday has met with a great experience for my boys. Two Saturday's ago was no exception.

A few weeks ago Rexburg, Idaho was hit with a flash flood. Mr. Harrop had just had back surgery, Mrs. Harrop had a bad knee and the flash flood got mud and water in their basement through their basement window well. Megan and the boys showed up in time to see Mrs. Harrop outside trying to clean up the mess the flood had caused a fews days previous. After some persistence, Mrs. Harrop agreed to let the boys help and they went to work. She started to cry and said she was at her wits end and didn't know what to do when they suddenly pulled up and offered to help. She called them angels.

She called my boys angels.

The boys got down and helped loosen the dirt and dug up the rocks from the window well and put the rocks in a bucket, then to a wheelbarrow, then dumped the wheelbarrow.

Although Mrs. Harrop was grateful for an act of kindness, words cannot express the appreciation I felt for a mother who took my boys to serve and a women who let them move rocks.

What is love? It's an 8 year old angel.