Sympathy Rips

The three big kids ride the bus to German school together every week.  When I picked them up last week, I was bombarded by all three of them telling me about Genna's ripped paper, how Isaac did it accidentally, and requests to tape it.  We discussed it briefly and then moved on to other discussions.  Later in the week I was looking through Isaac's backpack and discovered his paper tree that he made in class was also ripped.  I showed him and said, "Oh no, Isaac I think your paper got ripped as well."  He said, "No, it was a consequence, Mom."  I looked at him not quite understanding what he was talking about, but recalling Genna's ripped paper.  Hannah comes up and says, "No, it was a sympathy rip.  I ripped mine too.  We all did it to make Genna feel better.  It was my idea." 

My poor heart just about burst.  What a sweet and loving gesture!  So much of my time is spent disciplining and teaching them what is right that I sometimes feel that it is an impossible job.  Moments like these show me that God is at work in their little hearts and there is hope for these precious stinkers.