small scourge.

"And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor's trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation." (Mosiah 26:31)

Ugh.

Ok, I shouldn't say 'ugh' -- I recognize that I am in constant need of mercy from the Lord. I'm pretty sure we all are.

This means we need to be dishing out forgiveness at every opportunity we get.

Lucky for me that opportunity presents itself multiple times every day in this house!

But where do you draw the line with this whole forgiveness thing?

Is there a line?

Technically we are commanded to always forgive. ALWAYS.

I know the Lord is the ultimate judge and I'm totally cool with that --but does that mean I have to sit idly by as I watch my sister destroy this house?

I mean, let's not forget that even the Savior got pretty steamed when the money changers were defiling his Father's house.

"And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

And he said unto them that sold doves; Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." (John 2:15-16)

The Savior got so mad that he was flipping tables over and was using a little scourge of cords to drive people out of the temple.

I'd like to think that means I am allowed to make my own little scourge of cords, flip my sisters bed over and drive her out of the house -- too extreme?

Too bad.

Forgiveness -- I will give freely.

But that can't be it. There must be a second part to this, right?

Shouldn't it read something like this:

Kyle, forgive everyone for everything -- BUT when things get verbally and physically abusive you can bust out your small scourge and start rolling heads : )

I'm probably wrong, but tonight I like the sound of it!