I know what you’re thinking: “Lori, just because you finally joined a church doesn’t mean you can ADD a fruit of the spirit at your choosing. The Bible isn’t available for editing.” So let me say up front: it wasn’t me.

Mommy: Girls, what fruit of the spirit do you think you should focus on today?

Sara: List them for me again?

Mommy (singing them in my head from my 7th grade youth group musical): Love, joy, and peace. Patience and kindness. Gentleness and faithfulness and self-control. Goodness is also in there, but as it was NOT part of the song I memorized at the age of 12, I simply cannot include it. Kindness includes goodness, that’s my rationale, and I’m sticking to it.

Sara: I choose patience.

Mommy: Good one!

Kelly: I choose obedience.

Mommy & Sara: NOT A CHOICE!

Kelly: I don’t care. I choose obedience.

Mommy: OK. I’ll take this walk with you. Did you brush your teeth this morning after I asked you to?

Kelly: No.

Mommy: Obedience it is.

Kelly is 7, and she’s really, really good at being 7 right now. Let’s chant this together: WE WILL MAKE IT TO 8. I guess my fruit of the spirit today is patience as well. Or peace. Or gentleness. Or tooth-brushing…