29. An Undivided Heart
R
Give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
Psalm 86:11M
Ypoor parents lived through the misadventure of raising a
child who never knew what she wanted. If any kind of
choice was before me, they knew they were in for trouble. A cafete-
ria line was a disaster: Green beans or mashed potatoes? Apple pie
or strawberry shortcake? And once I had chosen, I often wanted to
go back and make an exchange.
Mama learned not to take me on shopping expeditions unless she
was willing to spend exorbitant amounts of time. Fortunately I usu-
ally liked what she chose for me.
One summer after I was in college, when the family was taking a
vacation, Mom and Dad made the ominous error of letting me
choose whether to go with the family or to stay in my hometown
with a friend. I changed my mind so many times that everyone was
exhausted. In fact, Mom and Dad assure me to this day that they fi-