Because Denea and I work nights we are often wanting to sleep in the afternoons till 3 or 4 or even 5 before going to work again the next night. But as we all know school gets out at 3, and kids don't even go to school on weekends. So anytime after 3 or on weekends is prime play time for them. Because many of them come knocking to play, and are very persistent about knocking, we've tried to set some limits, and even with consequences. We put a little sign on the door knob that says "Please Do Not Knock" and let them know that if they knock while that sign is up, they are grounded and we aren't going to play with them that day or for a week. And even if the sign is down we may have forgotten it, so don't knock more than once.
Last week a new set of kids who live 6-8 blocks down decided to venture over. So we had to initiate them into the rules. But these are sneakier than most kids. So the first time they woke us up, i'm pretty sure they had seen the sign and taken it off, as if, if it wasn't on the door when we woke up, we wouldn't be sleeping and we'd want to play. Just like little kids who think in a game of hide-n-seek if they cover their eyes they can't be found. Even as grouchy as I am being woken up in the middle of "the night", They are so cute...
Perhaps thats part of the reason God says 'unless you come to me like one of these children, you have no part of me'. Kids have no concern for such notions of unwelcomeness from those whom they trust to love them.
(Note: we found the sign lying on the ground with dirty shoe prints on it)
