Mornings at our house are anything but dull. Bottles, breakfast, diapers, kisses, messes, showers, clothes, protests, toys, love, hate - all experienced within a matter of 90 minutes before Tracy is out the door trying to catch his bus to work and I pile the girls into the van and get them to school before "gate time" is over. Even among the chaos there is routine. The girls know what is expected of them and they know their responsibilites. Yet it never fails that something gets thrown into the mix and I vow to wake up earlier tomorrow, make coffee the night before, pray before it all begins... Anything to make it easier. Most unexepected is actually predictable in one way or another - guarateed someone will want to watch Clifford while eating breakfast (even though they know the answer is No!), someone will want me to read a book before they are dressed, there will be poop, pee or some bodily accident to clean up, and of course the protest that shows up once in a while - someone will think whining about staying home is acceptable and that this time it will work and they can stay home eating ice cream and watching movies all day (which in their world is what Mom does while they are at school).
One such morning happened not too long ago. I get up from the breakfast table to get the baby some more breakfast and yep that was the sound of a full cereal box going everywhere. I whip around and it's the first time all morning that everyone is completely still...and quiet before the pointing of fingers and the excuses. We all begin cleaning it up because I don't need to know the details. We just need to get it up before I have ground up Cheerios all over. Too late...As the last of the Cheerios go into the trash - what do I hear? Yep, there is goes again. Anger beginning to rise...What happened now? Good intentioned Ellie says, "I was trying to put them back in the box and it fell again." No kidding...just as we are finishing the second attempt at clean-up, Kiki catches the edge of the box with her hand and the box falls on the floor. Let's just say that enough was enough. Tears of anger were in my eyes and I lost it. We all survived that morning - a little late and a little wiser about how to handle a full cereal box. The box didn't tip out of mischief, or out of angry actions, it just happened.
I couldn't help but think later of how many times in my walk with God I tipped over that same cereal box. I fill my day with too many commitments and forget an appointment, I panic because finances aren't in line, Tracy has to travel next week and I will be a single mom for 5 days, I get a phone call telling me that I have to work on a project after I ordered my day...I don't want to have a mess, I'm just trying to go about my day. When upsets come my way my reactions have been varied depending on the day and the situation but God's reactions have never changed. He looks at me and tells me - okay, let's clean it up together. He wants to help. He doesn't change his response to me. He asks in His gentle voice if I understand how to handle it. I'm sure I need a refresher course in how to handle the everyday. Well, here I am ready to learn. No matter what side of the mess I'm on, no more tears over spilled cereal. Today - I am here Lord, I am your servant and I am listening.
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