“Can I go horseback riding with Loretta this afternoon?” Michelle looked hopefully across the table. ” Its just to the barns and we won’t be gone long.”

Mom glanced at Dad before she answered, “Michelle, the laundry room looks terrible and the laundry is far from caught up. I noticed your bed wasn’t made when I was upstairs and I can see you haven’t even brushed out your hair.” Mom sighed. “How can you expect us to allow special privileges when you are not even completing your basic chores?”

Dad looked sternly at Michelle as she sank lower in her chair, a pout on her lips. “If we can’t rely on you to obey us in something as small as your chores, how can we be sure you’ll follow our rules for safety while riding? I’m sorry but you’ll have to tell your cousin you can’t go this time.”

Michelle finished her meal in silence and as soon as she was done ran up to her room and threw herself onto her bed. “Mom and Dad just aren’t being fair. I work just as hard as Bessie and she gets to meet Sarah at the Tree Fort. And I certainly work harder then Johnny and he went fishing just yesterday!”

She was just about in tears when 7 year old Caroline came skipping in, an index card in her hand. “Can I say my memory verse to you?

“Sure.” Michelle answered half-heartedly, putting her chin in her hands.

“My son, keep thy fathers commandments and forsake not the law of thy mother.”

Michelle looked thoughtful as Caroline left the room, a sliver of guilt pricking her conscience. The verse reminded her of another scripture. “Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

‘Maybe I am a bit to blame” She sighed to herself as she glanced over at Bessie’s neatly made bed and tidy dresser. She stood and looked out the window. The pile of wood that Johnny had stacked the day before caught her eye. Michelle looked back at her own side of the room and winced slightly.

“I guess Dad and Mom are right.” She caught a glimpse of her self in the mirror and a tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, as she saw her mismatched clothes and tangled hair. “Alright, I KNOW they’re right!”

That night when Michelle knelt next to her bed she prayed.” Lord, I’m sorry that my attitude was wrong towards my parents today. Please forgive me for not honoring them through my actions and reactions. Please help me from now on to glorify you in all my doing.”

The next morning Mom asked Bonnie who she should thought she should take to town. “I need to go to the library to return these book and stop by the fabric store.”

Bonnie smiled. “I’d love to go, but I’m practicing Spanish with Zoe this afternoon, and Bessie is working on that quilt. Why not Michelle?”

Mom looked surprised, but Bonnie quickly added, “I noticed her room looked great when she asked me to french-braid her hair this morning, and I know she had the laundry sorted.”

Before Mom could answer, Michelle walked through the living room, a pile of clean towels in her arms. Mom noticed her neat, pretty dress, tidy braid, and pleasant expression in a glance, and smiled. “Michelle, would you like to go shopping with me?”

Michelle grinned. “Is that a special privilege?”

Mom laughed, “I guess it is!”

“Then I’d love to, as soon as I finish putting away this load!”