Sunday, May 4, 2014

Thankful

Sunday morning. The organization was in place. Most of the preparations were complete. The plan was well laid, well rehearsed. The execution of  plans was a valiant effort, but sometimes there are just unforeseen circumstances that change the entire course of the morning.



Like when your 5 year old son splatters chocolate milk all over his freshly pressed white shirt.

Or when the three year old's poison ivy break out needs extra medication.

Or her new outfit, freshly pressed, is so big it's falling off and she needs a wardrobe change.

Like when the five year old sneezes and stuff goes everywhere--on the second clean shirt.

And the baby is screaming and crying to demand his nap as everyone is scurrying to put on shoes to make the grand exodus to the minivan.

And the plans just seem to crumble into piles of rubble, despite the effort.



And in the midst of the chaos, trying to fight back tears is Mama. With all her well laid plans, things just aren't going right. It wasn't a lack of organization or planning. Things just happened. But this mama needed worship today, to be in the presence of believers and be edified after a long two weeks of terminal illness and funeral events in the family. But as the morning wore on, it became apparent 5 minutes before departure that mama, only half ready, was going to be home with the tired, now crying, baby.

So this mama started complaining in her head. She was listing off all the things that went wrong and whose fault it was and how it could have been prevented. And she wondered what people would think when she wasn't in attendance that morning without a valid excuse. After all, those other moms probably had piles of rubble plans, too, but they would make it. She started wondering how everyone else had it together and she didn't. She started to wonder if maybe she were sub-par. A failure even.

And then God--

He pushed her to take her thoughts captive, and He told her to start counting. To count blessings. So she sat on the bed, listening to the baby lull himself to sleep on the monitor and started:

"I'm thankful for three healthy, lively children. I'm thankful they have clean clothes. And extra clean clothes. I'm thankful they have milk and food to put in their bellies, even if it gets on their clothes in the process. I'm thankful for a husband who willingly helps out with every single thing. I'm thankful for a mother-in-law who acts more like a mother and loves these three children as much as I do. I'm thankful for a church family, a place we call home. I'm thankful we can worship without persecution. I'm thankful for mom friends who have rough days, too..."

And the thankfulness continued. And her attitude was changed from grumbling to grateful. From defeated to overcomer. And she didn't look for everyone else's approval or applause. Her validation came from an audience of only one. The One. 

And that is all she truly needed.

Be thankful today, even a midst the unforeseen storms. Especially a midst the unforeseen storms.
Audra

2 comments:

theglenns556 said...

Oh, this is good. REALLY GOOD!!!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for sharing. I so feel this way many Sundays. I tend to feel guilty by the time we finally get in the vehicle because I've been in such a bad mood and grouchy with kids. It helps me to remember that this is just a "Season" in life. Great read.

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