Kings and Contracts

In Mosiah 29:30 it says:  "ye have no king; that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be answered upon their own heads."

It is interesting to me...this answered on whose head business.  Lehi blessed his grandchildren, the sons and daughters of Laman and Lemuel, that their sins would be answered upon the heads of their fathers because he was sure if they were taught correctly that they would follow the commandments.  I'm glad I'm not the one judging everything--that is definitely a job for an omnipotent being.  But I do know that I need to teach my children about the gospel so that I know I have provided them with the tools to make right choices.  I tell them that sometimes when they are looking at me like 'Yeah, Mom, we've heard it before.'  I tell them that teaching them certain things is a requirement for parenting.  It's found in Clause A, paragraph 2 of the contract they made me sign before leaving the hospital with them.

I have referenced the Parenting Contract since Kimball was very little and didn't want his finger nails cut or his hair combed.  At first he believed me.  He thought that I had agreed to a pretty hefty list of stuff before being able to walk out the hospital doors with him.  He and the other kids have since figured out that I'm joking about the contract, but not about what I'm telling them needs doing.  They know that when I bring up the contract, whatever I'm talking about is not on the table for discussion, and they should stop all negotiations for the sake of saving time.

I am grateful that we don't have a king, but freedom does mean that I have a pretty good-sized chunk of responsibility for what goes on in my home.  It weighs heavy at times.  So heavy that sometimes, especially around bedtime, I forget about Section 1, paragraph 1 of my contract:  'I agree to love these children in such a manner as to allow them no doubts in their minds of said love.  I will be the shoulder they can lean on and the touchstone they require no matter how tired or busy I feel.  And, I will honor this most important paragraph as I endeavor to sort out the many additional lines of this imaginary and ever changing contract for as long as I can keep a thought in my head.'  (Did you notice the built in loop-hole?  All contracts have them and, as many of my friends can attest to, sometimes I truly cannot keep a thought in my head.)

I suppose this particular post is an example of the fact that sometimes I get off track as I try to follow the advice to liken the scriptures to my own life.  My apologies.