Every once in a while

Sometimes - okay most of the time I feel like a broken record.  "Take the trash out, pick up your clothes, do your homework, be nice, etc etc etc."  I usually have to repeat myself multiple times before someone listens to me and responds.  I am aware I've probably brought this problem upon myself by allowing my kids to get away with not listening the first time.  Every once in a while it would be nice if someone listened when I said something the first time.
About a month ago our family was asked to speak in church.  As part of my talk I told a story about a group of teenagers who were out in the Arizona desert when one of the girls was bitten by a poisonous snake.  Instead of tending to the injured girl the group ran around looking for the snake and trying to kill it.  It was several hours before the girl got to the hospital and was treated.  As a result of this she lost her leg.  Moral of the story - we need to have a forgiving heart and forgive those that hurt us instead of seeking revenge. Usually our kids are pretty good in church but I wonder how much they are really paying attention and listening.  Even when we were speaking they were busy drawing or staring off into space.
A couple weeks after we spoke Cami had a friend over.  As they sat at the kitchen table eating their snacks I overheard Cami telling her friend the story I had used in my talk.  She pretty much had it down word for word even though she had only heard the story once during church. She was more focused on the fact that the girl lost her leg than anything else, but explained to her friend that it would have been better if the kids had gone to the hospital first and not worried about hurting the snake.  I was shocked!  Maybe every once in a while one of my kids does listen and pay attention when I say something!  Hopefully the rest of them will catch on and someday when Carter is on a date with a cute girl he will remember that once his mother told him not to take the roll off the plate of the person next to you and shove it in your mouth when they aren't looking or Cade will suddenly recall me saying a little Axe body spray goes a long way and save us all an allergy attack.  But for now I will just keeping repeating the important things (and sometimes the unimportant but necessary things) and hoping something sinks in every now and then.