God’s protection from disease

( not the actual snake)

     I suspect that this will hit home with many of you that have kids, or at least those of you with multiple boys. Our boys have the uncanny ability to find the nastiest thing, wherever they are, and make it into a toy. Yesterday, we were walking to the playground, 3 blocks from where we are staying, and on the way the boys found a dead snake that had been dried in the sun. Its looked like it died in mid strike and was eternally preserved that way (snake jerkey). What else would make a suitable  toy for the walk? They grabbed it and started pretending it was biting the other brothers.  I finally convinced them that this was not a very sanitary toy and that they needed to put it down. We walked on but on the way back it tempted them again. I caught them before they could pick it up.

   Once we got to the playground what did they find to play with? The slide (no), swings (no), empty beer bottles thrown in the bushes (of course). I think I told them to leave them alone at least 5 times. So what did they do? They found some used straws to play with. I’m telling you they are going to take me to an early grave.

      Thankfully that was all in that walk, but they regularly play with cigarette butts, beetle nut shells (always removed with the teeth), every manner of bug (and there are some wild ones in PNG) including spiders, and much much more.

     I think that they ( the boys especially) have some sort of magnetic connection to all things gross. I know that I was this way too, I can remember it, but I am still baffled by it. I guess the old adage is true, “if it doesn’t kill you it will make you stronger” because they aren’t dead yet and they just keep getting bigger. (what am I going to do when they are all teens?). Maybe I‘ll just take another oldie to heart: “if you can’t beat them join them.”

matt