It was time to begin another school day, and all was ready. The breakfast mess had been cleared, everyone was dressed, and order reigned without a word from Lisa. How had she done it? It was very simple, really. All she had done was to open that book. It was not such a special book, just a junior biography of a missionary, one of several in their bookcases. She had not said a word, spoken any reminders, or exhorted in any way, but school was about to begin—with a smile and on time.
As Lisa began to read, she could not help but reflect on how the days had started last year. There was always much time wasted in fussing, slow compliance, and late beginnings. She had felt so helpless and inadequate when she realized that her husband was out in the world, managing a large work force, and she could not manage anything as simple as two young girls. She had asked her husband for advice, and all he had said was, “Start without them.” She had not felt very thankful for that comment.
Desperation set in, though, and began to do its work. Lisa decided that she would do just what her husband had told her—start without them. She knew that she could not begin scoring papers that had not yet been worked, but she had a brilliant idea. She would begin the day with oral reading, at eight o’clock sharp, and they would not be ready, causing them to miss the material and do poorly on their workbook. She felt certain that would teach them a thing or two. She even felt glad that they would suffer for their uncooperative behavior. As the steam began to dissipate from above her forehead, she even began to whistle a little tune.
In the morning, though, she found new mercy for her little ones and decided that she should at least warn them that things had changed. When she woke them, she told them to come into the den for a little discussion. She explained that she was not happy with how each day began, and she was going to fix it. She said that from now on, she would not remind them or even wake them, because they were old enough to take responsibility for their own activities in the morning. Instead, they were from then on to rise, read their Bibles, wash, dress, feed the animals, eat, and clean the kitchen before eight o’clock sharp. Oral reading would then begin without fail.
The girls very soberly began their daily routines, including the fussing, and were ready and dragging into the den by 8:05. By that time, Lisa had been reading aloud for five minutes already. Much of the background for that chapter was missing for the girls, and they knew it. They looked so sad and moved so slowly through the day that Lisa wondered if her decision had had the opposite effect from what she had hoped. Of course, the girls had to read the chapter for themselves to work the seatwork accurately, and there was a fuss about taking turns with the book. Lisa was even more unsure then.
That night, she asked the girls if they still remembered how to set their alarm clocks. They indicated understanding, and after the usual loving bedtime ritual, Lisa told her daughters good night. She went to bed, still very unsure. The worst part of it was knowing that if this tack did not work, she did not have a different plan. She felt a little better hearing one of them wind an alarm clock.
In the morning, Lisa heard the alarm go off and soft footsteps in the back of the house, indicating that all was maybe proceeding according to plan. That made her feel a little better. She missed giving her sweethearts their wake-up back rub, though, and that was sad for her. She still had many misgivings about this new direction.
As the early morning progressed, Lisa tried hard not to seem to be watching, watching, watching—but she definitely wanted to know how her new plan was working out. Still rather sober (she hoped it was not glum), the girls moved through their morning routine with quiet deliberation. They appeared in the den on time, and reading began, but Lisa felt that all was not well. Sure, she had made huge strides, but it seemed to be sapping the life out of her daughters. How could obedience drain them so?
