Jacks stick story

A few weeks ago We went to the park on a beautiful sunny day. We had a wonderful time and my kids enjoyed being free to run and run and run. When we left, Jackson had a large collection of sticks in his arms. I was with another one of my friends and she told her son to put the sticks down, he listened to her, and they left. Now, we walked and Jack rode his bike- I had my arms full and I knew if we took the sticks home it would only result in tears from sword fights and messes that couldn't be picked up with a vacuum. So, I also told jack to put down the sticks..... he said no. After trying every way I could think of to get him to comply, I told him he had a couple of choices: he could put the sticks down and he could ride his bike home happy, he could pick a very favorite one, and then he could ride with it, or if he insisted on being so stubborn he could bring them all home, BUT, he had to take his bike by himself because my arms were full and I couldn't carry his stuff and mine, especially when I had already asked him to put the sticks down-plus when we got home the sticks were to go straight into the back yard.
WELL I bet you can guess which one he chose. Before we even left the park he was screaming at the top of his lungs " I CAN'T do this!!!" and "MOMMY I NEED YOU TO HELP ME". I must admit that it would have been much easier to say fine, take his sticks home, and he would have been happy. But then he would not have learned to listen when mommy tells him something. So I decided right then and there we were in it for the long haul.
I might need to explain, normally it might take us ten minutes or fifteen to get to the park, but this particular trip ended up being almost a full hour. It was hard, for every step Jack took he yelled and cried, each time his bike fell down he would burst in to tears. about every ten feet I would turn around and gently remind him of his choices, I told him at any moment he could put the sticks down, and we would get home fast, but he still refused.
The last part of our Journey has a very busy street we cross. I was worried from the start about this road. I always am, even when we are all listening and happy. I knew this was to be our biggest challenge yet. So we all stopped, I again told his options, I tried to explain how he would be so much happier, if he would just put the sticks down. He decided to hold on to them.
We were in the middle of a large intersection with Jack crying, walking right into the middle of the intersection, me putting Joeys brakes on and running after jack, watching yaya as she tried to get to the side walk and the whole time I scared some one was going to call CPS because Here I am with three kids all upset and all over a very busy road. It was not so fun.
Eventually we arrived home, Jack put his sticks in the back yard, and we calmed down. All this craziness made me think.
Life down here on earth is a journey back home, Just like our walk from the park to home, we can choose at times how easy our journey might feel. Jacks sticks are like sins. Our individual sins have a wide range of descriptions, some may be more serious, some may seem so small, but they are all real and just like Jacks sticks, they still make our journey hard. Our Heavenly Father has given us commandments and then told us we were free to choose how we would make our journey. If we would just put our sticks down, the journey will still be hard and hot, and tiring, but we can find a large amount of enjoyment out of it. But when we refuse to put down our sticks, the journey will at most times feel impossible and frustrating and even exhausting to the point of giving up.
There will be large cross roads in our lives, our father may try to remind us of what he has asked, and unfairly, when we choose not to listen, he will at times still save us even if we don't deserve it. He loves us so much. I believe that most of us who are trying will all our hearts to get home to our father, will. But, how hard do we want to make our journey? how often does the Lord quietly remind us of his commandments and love? each Sunday? each time we enter the temple? each time we come to him in sincere prayer? how about the time we watch his gentle hands in the lives of our families?
You know whats the most interesting part? Jackson put his sticks in the back yard when he got home, do you think he has even touched them since? NO. I can't imagine we will even miss our sticks if we drop them, the hardest part is truly just letting them go. I have a feeling I will be learning much about myself for a long time to come, all from an hour journey from the park, with a few sticks and a stubborn child.