Many Oxen

Have you ever heard people say, "I think the Bible is SO out-dated." Or, "if I could find just ONE THING in the Bible that was true, I would believe."

Well, let me be the voice of clarity as I direct you to Proverbs 14:4: "Where no oxen are, the manger is clean..."

I mean, DUH.

As I walked into my living room this morning, I about tripped over a red soccer ball. It's been in our living room since Logan came home from college for Christmas break...that was about the 2nd week of December. Logan...and Clark...have both been kicking the soccer ball IN THE HOUSE, resulting in at least one accident that I know of. It was just a knocked over cup of water, but it could've been so much worse...like a LAMP, or my Scentsy warmer.

(gasp!) I know. This is why we can't have nice things.

There is a pile of shoes over by the fire-place...a pile=4 PAIRS OF SHOES, plus a pair of cleats. Seriously? The cleats are Logan's and he has been taking the soccer ball out in the backyard and kicking it around...and then he comes in and tracks grass all over the rug. I have vacuumed at least once a day since Christmas. Which...unless you are new here...ain'tnobodygottimeforthat. And, bless his heart, he is totally unaware. He stomps off his shoes before he comes in the house, but there's just so much grass that gets tangled up in the cleats. In the pile of shoes, there is also a pair of shorts, one shirt and a pair of black athletic socks.

And a PEZ dispenser.

I'm not even kidding.

This morning, there were 3 blankets strewn all over the room on various chairs, and there were two jackets belonging to two different boys thrown over the back of the couch. There was a football on the counter, and on the bookshelves in the living room...lined up neatly, are the items from one of the boys' stockings...sitting in the exact same place he left them on CHRISTMAS DAY.

And on my kitchen table, there are scissors, tape and pieces of construction paper...all left from an "About Me" type of project one boy had to do for school. He put great thought into it...took him 25 minutes to throw together THE NIGHT BEFORE IT WAS DUE. And he didn't have to be bothered with putting everything away.

Just like when he was 8...except he's almost 18!

We have 3 boys. I don't want to give any names, but out of the two boys responsible for all of this mess, neither one is named Joshua.

I'm just sayin'.

Many oxen...dirty stable.

I have really enjoyed having Logan at home during the break. I know he doesn't have any friends here...we moved here the same year he started college, so most of his friends are in our former town...and at his college. And the mess in here is not all the result of Logan being home, only kinda. It's just that when he's home, he and Clark hang out a LOT and I love that...but the more time they spend in here together, the more "stuff" accumulates. I love that he and Clark can get in here and horse around, or they'll hang out with Joshua and talk or watch a movie. All of that is the ONLY REASON I haven't had a Come To Jesus meeting about all the clutter up in herrrr.

That, and because I've learned that it won't be like this for long. Come Saturday afternoon, this house will be really empty. Granted, 4 people will still live here, but when Logan leaves it changes the dynamics of our home...the same way it did when Holly left our home for college...and when she got married.

I am trying not to think like, "this is Logan's last Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's at home..." because that will make me so sad! I am thankful for the choices that he's made in choosing a mate and all of that...I know it's going to be good.

But it's sure gonna be different.

This manger will be a lot cleaner without one of my oxes...oxen...here.

I'll sure miss him.

There's also another Bible verse I'd like to share from Proverbs 26:11: "...a dog returns to it's own vomit..."

Truth.

Don't ask me how I know this.

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword...able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12