07 October, 2005

Today I Walked Where The Heart Trembles!



Call it a moment of insanity; or maybe it was just stupidity, but today I walked into a realm that one ought not to go into. For a moment I listened to the voice inside of me that said I needed to know what was in there... and I ventured into the bedrooms of my children!
"Oh my Lord!" was the words that slipped from my lips as I entered the first door, climbed over the mountains of "stuff" and when I went into my son's room, I stood there in shock. I did not know what to do. I felt like slamming the door shut and pretending that I did not see it... but noooooo, something compelled me to go inside.
For the next hour I was trapped in that room. Oh, I guess I could have run out if I really wanted, but something keep pushing me to see what was actually in there.

The first thing I noticed was the pile of clothing wadded up at the foot of his bed. I recognized it in an instant.
It was the suit he had worn on Sunday, thrown into the floor. When I leaned over to pick it up, I noticed clothing crammed in between the foot of his bed and the wall. As I started to pull them out, my blood pressure began to boil.
Not one, not two... but I kid you not, 14 shirts and 4 pairs of pants... on hangers wadded up in the floor!
And 4 of the shirts were mine that I had not been able to find recently!!!
I wanted to kill the boy!
It is bad enough as I have described it, but you need to understand that to get to where these cloths were stashed away, you literally have to stand in front of his closet door!
For the life of me, I cannot understand why he would choose the floor rather than to hang them up... but then again, who understands the mind of a 15 year old?

But the story is not over yet.
I promise you that I am not exaggerating; I found 11 drinking glasses in his room, and 5 more in his sister’s room. (This is actually what prompted me to venture into these horror chambers, because I was doing the dishes and noticed a real shortage of glasses.)
And socks! Oh my goodness, you would not believe the dirty socks all over that boy’s room! (That might explain the smell of death emitting from that dungeon he calls a room.) And I won't even go into the horrors I found in his closet. Let's just say it was not pretty.

Oh the wonders of youth. Can they really not see the mess that is before them? I stood there getting madder and madder and then a thought broke into my head.
Hmmm... seems to me that I had a room like that at one point in my life too.
Maybe I will go a little easier on him. But not much!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

So good to see you could keep your sense of humor!

Sarah said...

Note to self: Pastor does not do well with a cluttered room.

My prayers go out to your children as they face the wrath of the messy room/missing glasses situation. I bet someone will be very happy she is leaving this weekend.

Darrell said...

lol... Cluttered room? That is like calling Katrina a spring shower!
I did not tell you about the games all over the floor, the.., oh, never mind.
You would not believe it if I told you.

Unknown said...

I was reading and thinking...hey that sounds like my room! Not that bad since high school, but it still get's messy from time to time. I think that you need to explain the reason to take the dishes to the kitchen and not...just because. I always hated that "reason".

Good luck with the stubborn young YOU! *Laugh*

-5th

Johnson said...

Darrell, I have a guy in my church that took the door to his son's room off until he got it straight. It got the job done...ah, yes! The nuclear options available to parents.

For the time being, I am left dealing with my daughter trying to pluck my eyes out while I am sleeping. That's her way of saying, "Good morning, Daddy!"

Roughrider said...

With my boy, one day he went somewhere with his room in that condition. When he came home, the room was empty save for his bed and enough clothes for the rest of the week.
He earned things back by managing what he had. I started with the stereo and went from there.
I told him that next time I would have a huge garage sale and send the money to home missions.

Phil Hoover said...

Darrell,

Just remember when you were their ages...

and YES you were their age at one time in your life.....

And I refuse to incriminate myself any further...LOL