My Day Today

Oh, my goodness. Why is it that anytime you teach a lesson on something, (or your husband preaches on something ~wink~), or in this case you BLOG on something....it always, always comes back to you? I knew it was coming this week because God had laid some things on my heart for Bible study Sunday, then I blogged about Brand Name Christianity and protecting our witness. Oh, yeah. My talk was bound to be tested! (Oh, me, hopefully I passed!)

It's like the lady at our church who told me this past Sunday, "I keep praying to God for patience but I still don't have any!" I said, "Well, there's your whole problem! You're asking for it so He keeps giving you situations where it is required!"

Ha, ha I want patience God and I want it now! :)

This time it was me that was being watched as I handled waiting and tired children..... That were slightly cranky..... Well, grumpy really. Oh, let's be real here. They had lost their minds and were trying to take mine as well!

I got up this morning with plans for a nice day at home catching up on a little laundry, letting the children play outside, and laying out some homeschool plans. But recently there was a mixup on the children's insurance and we had to pay for several things out of pocket that should have been covered. It has now been straightened out but we realized we needed to get some things filed in person again. So we headed out this afternoon to take care of it.

Everything went very smoothly until we got to the pharmacy. The lady took care of it quickly and was so nice. Then she took it to the cashier to be completed. Finally after two hours of waiting they attended to it. Yes, two hours! My children were tired and hungry and WAY beyond their threshold of patience. I kept trying to be nice about it and walk them around to keep them happy. It wasn't working! I don't know why I felt the need to be so polite to the staff. Anyway it finally occurred to me that since they were simply putting me off and being quite rude about it, actually, perhaps they should share in the joy of my children in that moment! :D

I parked that buggy right by their counter and waited! Hee, hee after about 10 or 15 minutes they decided to go ahead and take care of it. It took all of 3 minutes! Good gracious, I was so relieved to finally be finished but that was enough to make me mad all over again!

In the meantime, my patience was sorely tried between the rude cashier and my beautiful chldren. Not to mention, all the people who kept staring as though they have never seen children cry. Or scream. Or parents have to separate sisters to keep them from causing bodily harm to one another. Some give that encouraging smile that says, "Hey, I've been there, too. I'm a mom/dad and I can tell they are just tired and ready to get out of here." Others look at you like you must somehow be causing it. Um, yeah, don't you see the enjoyment on my face? Then there are those that stare with this look of disdain as though you should spank them right there.

But, you know, there are times it is misbehavior and times it is just being a child. As parents we have to practice self control and recognize the difference. Had I realized how long it was going to take I would not have taken them. But there we were in the situation and we had to make the best of it. So we did have a long talk once we got to the car. The two older ones had to apologize, ask for forgiveness and give hugs. That, along with a cool drink, helped their feelings tremendously and the ride home was all giggles and singing. At the top of their lungs. Sweet but on top of frazzled nerves, ooh goodness!

We even stopped on the side of the road on the way and watched a thunderstorm build. Oh, it was so amazing! When we got home I immediately dressed them for bed so they could relax. Supper was just a quick soup tonight rather than the casserole I had planned. After brushing teeth I told them they could watch Gullah Gullah Island and then go to sleep. They were asleep before it even went off. Poor babies, they were so tired! (Oh, and Gullah Gullah Island...do you remember it? I LOVE that show! The GuitarMan watched it when he was growing up. Recently I realized it comes on in the middle of the night on Noggin so I set the DVR to tape it. Now my other children are enjoying it, too!)

Life is like that sometimes. Plans change. Others don't do things on your schedule. Children act up. It can make you feel like climbing the walls. But we have to choose how we will respond. It really is a choice! Try to calm down and relax, knowing these things will pass. For some reason I was held up for two hours this afternoon. It wasn't pleasant but perhaps God was protecting me from something that was far worse.

Truthfully I am happy that I am here with my children whether it is good times or bad. It doesn't matter if it is the silly knock-knock jokes they want to tell for the umpteenth time or if it is the third sleepless night in a row, I want to be there for it. Today I was there when the tantrums and crying took place. But I was also there to marvel as an airplane flew over and as a thunderstorm built. The music on the way home wasn't from the radio but from the little voices in the back singing to their baby brother. I was there to hear the giggles as they tickled each other and kissed the baby's feet in the back seat. And I was here to cuddle them on my lap tonight and tell them I love them. It's all to His glory! Praise God for it all!