Sherds from a jar of clay

Today we went shopping at the King of Prussia Mall. We wanted to get some church and Thanksgiving clothes for the kids and our self and start getting some gift ideas for Christmas. Anyway, one stop was Brookes Brothers so Paul could get some new shirts. I was trying to keep the kids, who were tired from a long day of soccer practice and shopping from being too crazy or destructive in this well ordered store while we waited for Paul. So we went to sit in some leather arm chairs they had there. The kids, still in their soccer clothes, complete with shin guards, plopped them selves down in a sprawling heap in the chairs. So I challenged them to sit the way they would if having a fancy tea party with President Bush. They immediately straightened up, Vicky stayed that way while Andrew started hamming it up with loud slurpy noises from a pretend cup.

Then one of the sales women came over and complemented Vicky on her nice posture and how grown up she looked. Vicky glowed and continued to walk with her head erect and her hand held nicely for the rest of the evening, I think you could have balanced a book on her head. What a difference some praise from a stranger makes in reinforcing lessons on behavior and modesty I have been trying to pound in for ages.