As much as I love chewing on Mom’s glasses or my rope, my absolutely, positively favorite toy is my BALL!

Mom throws it, I go get it and bring it to her…. and I want her to throw it again but I don’t want to turn it loose. I hold on as hard as I can. Sometimes I accidentally scratch my mom’s hand because we’re both pulling so hard.

Mom says when we do this, it reminds her about how people have “pet” sins that they don’t want to turn loose of.  God will take it, but people have to loosen their grasp of it first. She says she struggles with it, and others do too.  She says sometimes it takes a LOT of prayer for God to help her let go.

I’m glad God listens to us when we pray; I’m glad He helps us do what’s right.

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 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—what I hate.  I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking.  But I can’t help myself because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things.

 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can’t make myself do right. I want to but I can’t.  When I want to do good, I don’t; and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.  Now if I am doing what I don’t want to, it is plain where the trouble is: sin still has me in its evil grasp. Romans 7:15-20 (The Living Bible)