The excitement was intense; we had never seen “china” before, and we wanted to help.  Mom was so gracious to say, “Yes, but be careful. It’s so fragile.”
Fragile.
I don’t think I even knew what that word “fragile” meant when I was eight or nine, and I am sure my brother Ron did not know as well or we would not have fought over WHO was allowed to take that dinner plate out of the packing box.
See a group of four standing around the table in the “fancy” living room.
See a young girl and her younger brother standing up on top of the dining room chairs, excited to be present.
See mom, who had waited 10+ years to AFFORD her box of china.
See dad. 

China is a fragile commodity that when dropped against the side of a firm table—Breaks.
Years later, after dad had passed away, mom moved, and we helped her pack.  As I placed her China into a box, I saw one of her cherished plates with an ugly crack, a plate where what once was brand new, smooth, clean, unblemished now displayed an edge with a glued chip held tight all these years.  As I held the plate again, poised to place the plate INTO the packing box (an opposite action from so long ago), I was reminded of the punishment my brother and I received that fateful day so long ago.
The clink of mom’s china on the living room table sounded like a cannon in my eight-year-old head.  I looked at my brother and knew it was HIS fault.  He was, for sure, the child who should not have helped unpack mom’s new china.
“Both of you, go to your bedroom. Stay there until I get there.”
I can still hear dad’s words.
I can still see mom’s crestfallen face.
Now, after so many years, I know the truth.

There is a beautiful melody titled “All In” by the artist Blanca, and her lyrics go like this—

"Whatever You need/Choose me/I wasn't put on this earth afraid to move."

God does not need us, but He chooses in His amazing love to allow us to participate in His will.
God loves us too much to allow our sin to remain, to go undisciplined. 
God is God & we are not.

That day, so long ago when I was a child, I do not remember what my brother Ron and I discussed as we waited for dad to come to our room.  However, I do remember the love of both mom and dad.
I remember the way they allowed us to participate in work that most definitely was serious work—unpacking fragile china.
I do remember the pain I saw in mom’s eyes when I clinked her new china plate against the hardness of the dining table. 
I do remember the punishment I received that day.
I also remember the WAIT for dad to arrive at our bedroom.  The waiting for the discipline when we know we have done wrong is so hard.

Yet, what I remember most is the way my mom’s eyes held even more pain when she knew dad was sending us away from the table and to our bedroom to receive our discipline. 
Yes, what I remember most is the way dad came to the room, not mad but sad that he had to discipline us, still knowing that was what we both needed.
Yes, I do not remember the spanking, but I do remember the love in dad’s eyes.
Yes, I do remember dad telling us to dry our eyes and then to come back to the table to apologize to mom & when we quietly walked back toward mom, I remember the way mom hugged us, telling us it would be okay, how we would just glue the chipped plate.
And I remember how that day, Ron and I were allowed to help again (even after that incident), how we were cautioned to be more careful, and the joy I felt in being allowed to climb back up into the dining room table chair to lift out the teacups and saucers.
I remember the lesson learned through the loving discipline—even after all these years.
Mom no longer has that china pattern, but if she did, I believe I would sit the chipped plate at my spot at the Thanksgiving table as I remember the way my dad loved me enough to discipline me.

The Bible provides everything we need in our pursuit to know God, to know our Creator, to understand the love of our Father, but do not believe me. Instead, read God’s Word with me.

So how do we become sons and daughters to God?  The Bible reveals that truth as well.

God loves us THAT MUCH!
GOD LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON TO DIE FOR US!
GOD LOVES US SO MUCH THAT AFTER THREE DAYS IN THE TOMB, GOD RAISED HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, BACK TO LIFE!

WHY?

So, we too could rise to new life in Him—in God’s Amazing Grace.
Thank You, God.
Oh, Thank You God, so, so much for sending Your Son to be our Savior.
And thank You, God, for your discipline, for through Your discipline, we know we are Yours.
Help me, Help us, LORD, to use our bodies to do something today that honors You.
Yes, LORD. Whatever.
Choose me. Choose us.
Help us not to be afraid to move for YOU!
Help us, LORD, to reflect Your LOVE, Your LIGHT into this dark world.