Terrible Tuesday
You might have mistaken it for one of those Monday mornings when everything goes wrong. But make no mistake - this was a Tuesday determined to give any bad Monday a run for its money.
Before the alarm even sounded, I was awakened at 1 a.m. by the rolls and moves of a growing baby who was apparently uncomfortable. I got up, got a drink and no sooner crawled back in bed when I heard the cry, "Mommy!" Elijah woke himself up and was now wide awake. We would both remain as such for more than an hour.
Surprisingly I woke up without an alarm (we'll call it a literal internal clock) and went downstairs to start breakfast and coffee. I set a few frozen sausage patties on a plate on the counter so they'd thaw for Elijah's breakfast. Thankfully he still had awhile to sleep while I got ready. By the time he was up and making his way downstairs, I discovered the sausage was GONE. I admit. I accused my husband of throwing them away. (He has a tendency to go behind my messiness and clean up after me.) He had already left for work but responded he had NOT tossed the patties and felt certain it was a determined doodle dog who is much taller than we give him credit for. No doubt. The puppy dog eyes were in full force and I knew it was this mess of a mutt that had eaten breakfast.
I made a plate of new food for my dear son. Thanks to the changing temperatures and seasonal allergies, he needed some cough syrup. I left him with his breakfast, medicine and clothes while I finished packing lunches and bags. He ran to the bathroom at one point but I didn't pay much attention. He is 7 after all. It wasn't until he came out half dressed with his hair plastered to his head that I started to ask questions.
"Did you fix your hair?" I asked.
"Yes, momma," he responded without changing his expression.
This wasn't like him. AT ALL. The hair being combed and teeth brushed would be something he would never choose to do. Ever. I went to help smooth out his hair only to realize that it wasn't water in his hair, despite it's wet appearance.
"Elijah, what did you put in your hair?" A closer inspection gave off the distinct smell of honey - in this case, cough syrup. The extra sticky "natural" kind.
You see, that same big fluff ball who precociously stole the breakfast off the kitchen counter had jumped up on the couch in an attempt to steal food off Elijah's plate. In the process, the cup of sticky cough syrup had somehow flown through the air and managed to land appropriately in my son's hair. Exactly what happened is still a little fuzzy but the mess was inevitable and the innocence exuding form my son this time was hard to be mad at. He tried his best to wet it, even used the hand towel in an effort to get it out. Bless his heart. He tried.
To the shower he went to wash his matted down hair while the dog was now being punished. Oh what a mess. Oh what a morning. By the time we made it to the car, hair washed, clean clothes on, and everyone (humans and dog alike) fed, it was all I could do to take a huge sigh and breathe out a prayer, "Lord, help us get through this day."
Ever attentive, my child spoke words of wisdom he'd certainly heard me say a time or two (or a thousand) before.
"It's okay, momma. God gives us lots of chances."
Yes, indeed He does. I took the opportunity to remind him of the verse in Jonah when the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. "Do you know what that means? That means God forgives us. He gives us second, third, fourth..."
Before I could continue he jumped in, "Even One MILLION chances!"
The thing about this morning was meant to remind me that in all things - from morning mishaps to catastrophic circumstances - God is still with us, still at work in the midst of what we face. He's never overwhelmed by our situation, no matter how consuming it may be. In fact, He's not even surprised by it. It may have started out as a disastrous morning but it was also a renewed chance to do some evaluating. A chance to check my spirit and make sure I don't respond in anger or frustration. A chance to trust the Lord no matter how big or small the frustration. A chance to leave discouragement behind and recognize the unlimited chances God gives us to begin anew. We had quite the laugh on the way to school as we recalled all the "silly" things that didn't go as planned. This Tuesday wasn't going to be so terrible. At least that's what one little boy and his momma determined.
Before the alarm even sounded, I was awakened at 1 a.m. by the rolls and moves of a growing baby who was apparently uncomfortable. I got up, got a drink and no sooner crawled back in bed when I heard the cry, "Mommy!" Elijah woke himself up and was now wide awake. We would both remain as such for more than an hour.
Surprisingly I woke up without an alarm (we'll call it a literal internal clock) and went downstairs to start breakfast and coffee. I set a few frozen sausage patties on a plate on the counter so they'd thaw for Elijah's breakfast. Thankfully he still had awhile to sleep while I got ready. By the time he was up and making his way downstairs, I discovered the sausage was GONE. I admit. I accused my husband of throwing them away. (He has a tendency to go behind my messiness and clean up after me.) He had already left for work but responded he had NOT tossed the patties and felt certain it was a determined doodle dog who is much taller than we give him credit for. No doubt. The puppy dog eyes were in full force and I knew it was this mess of a mutt that had eaten breakfast.
I made a plate of new food for my dear son. Thanks to the changing temperatures and seasonal allergies, he needed some cough syrup. I left him with his breakfast, medicine and clothes while I finished packing lunches and bags. He ran to the bathroom at one point but I didn't pay much attention. He is 7 after all. It wasn't until he came out half dressed with his hair plastered to his head that I started to ask questions.
"Did you fix your hair?" I asked.
"Yes, momma," he responded without changing his expression.
This wasn't like him. AT ALL. The hair being combed and teeth brushed would be something he would never choose to do. Ever. I went to help smooth out his hair only to realize that it wasn't water in his hair, despite it's wet appearance.
"Elijah, what did you put in your hair?" A closer inspection gave off the distinct smell of honey - in this case, cough syrup. The extra sticky "natural" kind.
You see, that same big fluff ball who precociously stole the breakfast off the kitchen counter had jumped up on the couch in an attempt to steal food off Elijah's plate. In the process, the cup of sticky cough syrup had somehow flown through the air and managed to land appropriately in my son's hair. Exactly what happened is still a little fuzzy but the mess was inevitable and the innocence exuding form my son this time was hard to be mad at. He tried his best to wet it, even used the hand towel in an effort to get it out. Bless his heart. He tried.
To the shower he went to wash his matted down hair while the dog was now being punished. Oh what a mess. Oh what a morning. By the time we made it to the car, hair washed, clean clothes on, and everyone (humans and dog alike) fed, it was all I could do to take a huge sigh and breathe out a prayer, "Lord, help us get through this day."
Ever attentive, my child spoke words of wisdom he'd certainly heard me say a time or two (or a thousand) before.
"It's okay, momma. God gives us lots of chances."
Yes, indeed He does. I took the opportunity to remind him of the verse in Jonah when the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. "Do you know what that means? That means God forgives us. He gives us second, third, fourth..."
Before I could continue he jumped in, "Even One MILLION chances!"
The thing about this morning was meant to remind me that in all things - from morning mishaps to catastrophic circumstances - God is still with us, still at work in the midst of what we face. He's never overwhelmed by our situation, no matter how consuming it may be. In fact, He's not even surprised by it. It may have started out as a disastrous morning but it was also a renewed chance to do some evaluating. A chance to check my spirit and make sure I don't respond in anger or frustration. A chance to trust the Lord no matter how big or small the frustration. A chance to leave discouragement behind and recognize the unlimited chances God gives us to begin anew. We had quite the laugh on the way to school as we recalled all the "silly" things that didn't go as planned. This Tuesday wasn't going to be so terrible. At least that's what one little boy and his momma determined.
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