Shared this story with our Day School children during chapel this morning...
Early one morning, Tibby bounded out of bed to discover something wonderful had happened during the night. It had snowed!!!
At once, Tibby decided he absolutely, positively needed to go outside and play. He dreamed of snowmen, snowballs, snow angles, snow forts, and anything and everything having to do with snow.
Just as he reached for the door, his mother yelled from the bedroom, “Tibby, dear, if you are going outside to play in the snow, make certain you put on your warm coat! You do not want to get sick.”
Tibby was not amused. He was not a baby after all. He stomped his foot on the ground and remarked, “Oh mom, I don’t want to wear my warm coat today!”
But Tibby’s mother continued, “And Tibby, don’t forget your thick mittens!”
Tibby let out a big sigh and stomped his foot on the ground yet again,“Mom, I don’t want to wear my warm coat or my thick mittens!” He rolled his eyes and thought to himself, how can you build a good snowball with thick mittens?
Tibby’s mother offered one last suggestion, “And one more thing Tibby, do not go outside without your stocking cap! You do not want to get sick and miss your cousin’s super-duper birthday party this weekend!”
That was the final straw. Tibby was certain his mother had lost her ever-loving mind. First, everyone knows you cannot have fun all wrapped up in a warm coat, thick mittens, and a stocking cap that keeps coming down and covering your eyes. And what in the world does playing in the snow have to do with his cousin’s super-duper birthday party? Seriously, Dad needs to have a talk with that woman.
So, Tibby stomped his foot on the ground and opened the door to go outside. Tibby played in the snow for an hour, but he did not wear his warm coat, or his thick mittens, or his stocking cap. Therefore when Tibby came inside, all of sudden he started to sneeze, his throat started to hurt, his nose started to run, and he did not feel very well at all.
Crawling up into his mother’s lap Tibby said, “Mom, “I went outside and played in the snow today without wearing my warm coat, my thick mittens, or my stocking cap. You were right. I think I’m sick.”
Sure enough, Tibby was sick. He did not get to play in the snow anymore that weekend, even though all of his friends were outside. He did not get to attend his cousin’s super-duper birthday party, even though it was really cool. All Tibby could do was lay in bed and feel miserable.
When Tibby’s mom came into the room to offer him some chicken noodle soup for lunch, he looked up at his mother and whispered, “Mom, thanks for taking care of me. Next time, I will listen and obey. I love you mom.”
Tibby’s mom smiled, kissed her son on the forehead and said, “I love you too Tibby!”
