|
| Bubble Gum |
|
| |
When I was a little girl, I loved bubble gum. I can still see that bazooka wrapper, and that sweet, sugar filled, pink bubble gum. You would chew it until it got soft enough, and move it over your tongue until it was just right, and blow! The bubbles, first little ones, and then bigger and bigger until they broke all over your face. I learned that bubble gum before 1970 contained a lot more sugar and that caused it to stick on your cheeks or in your hair worse than it does today. I remember it sticking on my face, and having to take the gum out, not giving a thought to germs, and rubbing it on the face to remove the residue. I wrote all this to tell you a story about a teacher and a father, and two different incidences involving bubble gum, and two very different ways they were handled.
My first grade teacher caught me chewing bubble gum in class one day. She made me come to the front of the room, remove the gum and place it on the end of my nose. Back then we had two grades in the same room, and so I stood in front of my classmates,gum on my nose and my hand trying to cover it . I was so embarrassed I tried to hide it, and that just made it worse, before long it was all over my face. The teacher then proceeded to trudge me to all eight grades to show what happens to children who chew gum in school. The teacher kept me after school trying to remove the gum and meanwhile my brothers and sister ran home to tell my mom. Of course she came to school and her wrath was taken out on the teacher, but the damage was done, at that tender age, I was crushed and I learned my lesson, but the hard way for sure.
The second incident happened when I was about nine. I had bought a piece of that delicious bubble gum, and had gotten it just right, when my mom warned me not to take it out of my mouth again or I would have to throw it away. Well, you know what happened, the bubble got too big, it broke, all over my face! Mom saw me take the gum out, and start to remove the residue on my face. In the basket that gum went, fast!! I started to cry and was so upset at my mother, and went off to my room. When daddy came home he wanted to know why I was crying so I told him momma made me throw my gum away. He put his arm around me and said," That's all right Nancy, I have something much better than bubble gum for you anyway." He gave me the most beautiful doll I ever had. He told me that I needed to do what my mother told me, and that I needed to tell her I was sorry for getting upset.
There is a lesson to be learned from these two stories, the teacher humiliated me in front of my peers. She had the opportunity to teach me that it was wrong to chew gum in school and disobey the rules, and that there were consequences if I did it again. I didn't learn to respect the teacher but to fear her. On the other hand, my father taught me that I was wrong to disobey my mother and to get upset at her for doing something I had been warned not to do. There was forgiveness on both parts.
Our Father doesn't humiliate us for our wrong doings, He does not hold anything against us, but forgives us without a moments hesitation.
I thank God for a father and a mother that were loving and understanding, tolerating and bringing me up to know right from wrong. |
|
| To add a comment to "Bubble Gum" |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| November 12, 2008 |
 |
|
|
We have come a long way since chewing gum in class haven't we?
I am thankful, that the gentleness of your parents was passed down to me.
I think my kids are grateful for it, although I do have a lot of my father in me sigh.
But, isn't it great that the Lord loves us anyways and gently restores us?
Now therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. |
|
|
| November 12, 2008 |
|
|
|
| I do love this! Thankful the Lord doesn't humiliate me! |
|
|
| November 12, 2008 |
|
|
|
| And I thank my Father(God) for being ever patient and tolerant with His disobediant child..... |
|
|
| November 12, 2008 |
|
|
|
Great post Nancy; I think people shouldn't humiliate people, but you father, was sweet...
I loved your story it took me back to memmory lane... those simpler times... God bless you,
I hope your day is a good one. |
|
|
| November 12, 2008 |
|
|
|
Oh so loved the bubble gum face...*sigh*
"He forgives without a moments hesitation" ...and I am thankful that He does... |
|
|
Follow this blog
