As I stood in the kitchen preparing lunch, the girls’ screaming in the backyard resonated through the windows. I knew that Samuel had taken his bug-catching equipment outside and by the sounds coming from the girls, I figured he had found a good one.

A few minutes passed and the back door flew open, rushing the chaos from the backyard to the kitchen. (Lucky me.)

Everyone chattered at once.

Girl 1: MOM!…

…Samuel caught a lizard and pulled off its tail…

Samuel: It was an accident.

Girl 2: His bugs are gross. Make him let them go.

Samuel: Can I keep the lizard?

All Girls: NOOOoooo!!! Make him set the lizard and all of his bugs FREE!

Then the little females began to holler at once towards Samuel: Let them go! You shouldn’t have them. They’re gross!

Me: (Trying to talk over the chatter) Samuel: You may keep your bugs. Try not to pull the tails off the lizards. You’re fine. Keep them.

I’m not sure why the herd of children busted into the house for my help, because NO ONE listened to my words. They were only interested in their own voices.

The girls ran out of the kitchen with victory on their faces and Samuel hung his head as he slowly returned to the backyard to let his bugs go.

Later that day I asked my little bug catcher how his family of insects and the new lizard were fairing.

Samuel: I let them go.

Me: Samuel, I told you it was OK to keep them. Why did you listen to the girls INSTEAD OF ME?

Samuel: I don’t know. They were louder (?)

Me: Samuel, I wanted you to keep your critters. Whose words have more authority: the girls or mine?

Samuel: Yours.

Me: Go catch some new bugs and don’t let them confuse you. You have my blessing and permission to play with bugs and lizards.

Samuel: Thanks, Mom. I love you.

Thoughts: When I saw Samuel walk away in defeat I knew which instruction he had chosen to listen to. How many times do we walk away from a God-intended blessing because our surroundings confuse us? Stay in tune with God’s still small voice and peace will guide you even when you’re going against the flow.