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Good morning! Yesterday my son learned a lesson that I hope he will never forget. Actually, my son learned a lesson yesteday that I just wish that his dad would remember!

My third oldest boy's name is Chance. He reminds me a lot of myself at his age. Of course, he looks like me. He has my facial features and orange hair like me as well. Even more so, he has the same personality that I had at his age, or so my mother tells me.

When I came home yesterday I noticed workers we had contracted to tear out a tree stump had "finished the job". This tree was 50 years old. Thus, the stump was enormous. As a matter of fact, as the stump lay on its side, it was nearly 5 feet tall. Next to the stump was the hole from whence it came. It was even deeper than that!

Upon arriving home, Chance wanted permission to go outside and play. I concurred and allowed him, with a warning issued from his mother to stay away from the tree stump and the large hole in the ground. Chance understood his mother's wishes and he recognized the dangers that were present if he did not heed her warnings.

It mattered not. He would wait patiently for his father to look the other way, then he was headed for that hole. I knew it, because even I WANTED to climb into that hole and Lori wouldn't let me, either!

Friends, let it be known that our back yard is full of great toys and plenty of space to run and play. But a deep pit is just too tempting for a five year old boy. Sure enough, five minutes later I couldn't find Chance anywhere. As I glanced toward the hole, I could see little piles of dirt flying in the air. Immediately I knew, my son had violated his boundaries. As I walked out to the hole, there he was in the bottom of that pit with a plastic shovel digging away.

"Son, what are you doing!" I emphatically responded to his clear violation of boundaries. "Dad! I can't just let them stay down there!" was his retort. I could see the serious look he had in his eyes. He was "going after" something.

"Who are you after, son?" I replied. His response was quite shocking. "I'm gonna' dig a hole to hell and let "dem people's" out. Dad, it's just a little farther! Do you wanna' help me, dad?"

Well, whattya say to that? Bad idea? No, not a bad idea, but a wrong idea. My son failed to realize in his master plan to help others he had violated the boundaries he was given. Thus, he lost his chance to save those poor people. As well, he was removed from the back yard where he had enjoyed perfect freedom and was placed into the bondage of his tiny bedroom.

However, my five year old boy was more than willing to endure the loss of his freedom for a few minutes of fun in that hole. But, yet, there was one more step that mother demanded that was just too much for him. Something my son would rather die than endure! It is a most necessary step when a boundary is violated and freedom is lost. What was that last step? He had to take a bath!

That friends, was the straw that broke my boys back. As the tears ran down his face he finally realized the error of his way was NOT worth it! He realized it, not because he had to come out of the hole. He realized it, not because he lost his ability to save some people from hell. He realized it, not because he had lost his freedom. He realized it, not because he was sent to his room. He realized it, not because he was spanked for direct disobedience. He realized it and broke down and cried because he was dirty and was being forced to come clean.

As children, we must also remember that this is the real danger of violated boundaries. We may have good intentions or we may have selfish intentions. Goodness! We may have no intentions! But our every violation slowly erodes freedom. With each violation we step closer toward eventual bondage. And when the damage is done and the bondage is complete, we soon realize the most unsettling truth: our life is a mess and we need to be cleansed of our unrighteousness.

At that time, we will remember our principle number three and see again, that nothing is worth enjoying for even a short period of time if it violates or alienates our Father and makes us dirty.

If we avoid the hole and we will stay whole.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY: "Good morning, Father! I would like to ask you today to reveal to me again any boundaries that you feel will be a temptation to me today. You know my weaknesses better than I do, because you know my heart. Would you show me through a prompting of warning what I should be avoiding? And in doing so, please grant me the faith of Christ that dwells within me to submit to your warnings no matter how safe I feel that I am. Lord, I ask that you do these things and then as I subsequently submit in my power willingly to you, please empower me by your Spirit of Wisdom. I pray this prayer in the blood stained name of our Lord Jesus! Amen."