Monday, Monday

Ah, Mondays.

The day started out simple enough. I chose to skip my early morning run, opting instead to catch up on some much-needed sleep. You see, we had a fantastic weekend at our district youth conference, praising and worshipping our great God with 3,000 youth and adult staff! However, sleep was somewhat secondary throughout the weekend. I figure I got about 9 hours total over the two nights. Needless to say, I slept in this morning to catch up on my sleep. This, of course, put me 3 hours behind my normal morning routine. It also caused me to miss my quiet time with the Lord this morning.

Not long after rising, our youngest son was found throwing up over the toilet. Most of it made it in...some of it did not.

Then I was unpacking my luggage from the weekend and realized I was missing my make-up bag. Either I overlooked it in my hotel room or it fell out of my bag...but regardless, it's gone. Needless to say, I have to make an emergency trip to the store to replace everything. I suggested to my husband that perhaps he would like to do it for me so that I don't frighten all the other shoppers with my "natural" look, but unsurprisingly, he didn't take me up on my proposition.

Next I attempted to take a shower, only to discover that we were out of hot water. Due to the showers of my men and the load of whites that I'd just run through the washer, the hot water heater was empty. So we commenced with school while I waited for my hot water.

Once the boys were each working on their math, I went downstairs to run another load of laundry. It was then that I discovered a "doggie pile" on the carpet of our toyroom.

Argh!

As I was whining, grumbling, and complaining in my head about the injustice of it all, (afterall, it wasn't yet 10AM), God confronted me with a simple, bold statement: "It's not about you." Gulp. Here I was, feeling sorry for myself, losing perspective and focus. I was thinking about what a rotten day this was already, and lamenting how all these little things had inconvenienced me. But then those four brief words rang in my heart, "It's not about you."

It started innocently enough. Yes, I needed my sleep. But I also need my time with God in the morning, and I quickly discovered how my day spins out of control when I don't seek Him first. I'm not saying that the "inconveniences" of the day wouldn't have happened had I had my quiet time...but I am saying that perhaps my perspective on these circumstances would have changed.

And so, before proceeding any further in the day, I sensed my Father calling me away to a solitary place with Him. It was somewhat brief, but He used this time to speak His Truth into my heart and renew my strength and my focus. He also gave me the ability to laugh about the morning's series of events which previously had seemed so unjust. Our son is not sick (just a sensitive gag reflex)...God (and my husband) love my "natural" look...the water heated and I got my shower...the dog doo is cleaned up...and God has given me satisfaction and joy in Him, rather than my circumstances.

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Evening update: My missing make-up bag showed up in my husband's empty luggage before I went out to buy all new products! I'm not sure how it made it in there, considering we weren't even rooming together, but I'm thankful nonetheless! I guess it was all part of the lesson God was teaching me today...