How Good and Pleasant It Is!

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

I read this verse the other day and burst out laughing. I considered my boys and thought, Sure, God. Good and pleasant, but not reality. Then I had the idea of printing this verse on huge pieces of paper and taping them up in the boys' rooms and on the mirror in their bathroom. I figured if they knew God thought it was good and pleasant for them to live in unity, maybe they'd try a little harder to accomplish such a goal.
But then I realized I'd probably just be annoying them again. So I decided against my sneaky, though well-intentioned, tactics to get them to love one another. Instead, I spent extended time in prayer for my boys and their relationship.
I had looked ahead the day before and knew that Psalm 133 was the only thing on my "schedule" for my read through the Bible program for that day. And I knew Psalm 133 was a short one. (All of three verses!) So I had already planned to take my time going through it. I just didn't realize God had set that day aside for me to pray for my boys. But - clearly - He had. So I did.

Fast forward to this morning.

The boys were getting ready for school, engaging in equal amounts of play and bickering with each other. As I was listening to them and getting myself ready, I was singing the chorus which comes from Psalm 133:1. Wishing my sons would learn to live together in unity.
Soon it was time to leave for the bus stop and, as we walked, God gave me a glimpse of HOPE for my boys.
You see, yesterday was Matthew's birthday and he got a Nintendo DS. He was quite busy yesterday getting his game set up and playing it by himself. But this morning, the boys used the wireless internet feature to play together on their DSs. I don't understand how it works, but it is really cool. Somehow they can see each other's characters on their own screens and can chase each other and interact in all kinds of ways. They were loving it. (Yes, this was also when they were bickering.)
On the way to the bus stop, they were re-living their DS adventures. They were making plans for inviting over other friends with DSs so they could all connect and play together. They were laughing and strategizing and - dare I say? - living together in unity. It was a good and pleasant thing to witness.

Usually I walk between the boys, holding Matthew's hand, as we go to the bus stop. And usually I am a part of the conversation. But not today.
Today I walked behind them and just watched and listened. They weren't concerned about me. And I didn't feel dissed or left out in any way. I was enjoying the picture before my eyes and the hope I held in my heart.
Now, I am not saying one day in prayer and two Nintendo DS games have solved all the problems of sibling rivalry and discord we have in our house. But I am convinced there is hope. I have seen my boys interacting peacefully and enjoying each other, and I will continue to pray that they will learn to live together in unity.

And I know I will not always be "invisible" on our trips to the bus stop. For this morning, once we arrived everything was back to normal. Joshua walked past me, tapped my shoulder, and yelled, "You're It!" as he ran in the other direction.