I had a beautiful plan for today.

And I woke up feeling great!  The weather is cooler and Fall is in the air.  The leaves are beginning to change.  As I’m walking the dog I’m thinking to myself, tonight is a great night for a bonfire!  Heck, bonfires every night this week!  Bring on this beautiful new season!  Fall is my favorite season, hands down.  

To prove what a great start to the day we had: all three children up, dressed, out the door, and in the car ahead of schedule.  With three kids ages four and under, I always feel pretty darn good about those types of accomplishments.  My oldest was to preschool on time… yes, this Monday is going great!

Then there was the middle child tantrum in the classroom.  The hauling of two young kids through the once quiet school halls and out to the car.  The noisy ride home, with the hope of peace and productiveness once we arrived.  There was the double birthday party to clean up from, new toys to move to the playroom, the two loads of laundry from the weekend, bed sheets to be changed, a kitchen to be put right, lunch to make, and hopefully some time to squeeze in some reading before picking up the oldest from Pre-K.  But no sooner had we unloaded and entered our home when my phone rang.  

Pre-K calling, your child is not feeling well.  

(Kudos to her classroom teacher for making kids wash their hands upon entry; she's fighting a good fight!)

And so, I load up the confused and unhappy children back into the car to head back to where we had just come from.  My plans for a productive morning taking a back seat to care for a sick child.  

We pick up the sick one, return home, unload the van, enter the house… and all of a sudden, I’m frustrated, angry, and annoyed every way I turn.  The youngest is clinging to my leg and crying and I want it to stop.  I attempt to get the tray for his high chair so I can give him a snack but it’s still dirty, so I go to wash it, but the sink is full of dishes.  Meanwhile, sad child is still clinging and crying.  The middlest wants some juice, and I know he won’t stop asking until he has a filled cup in his hand.  The oldest is upstairs in bed, but she’s suddenly- almost magically - feeling better and wants to know if she can get up and go outside and play.  Suddenly, I feel like sitting on the floor and crying.  My “Martha side” had her chance, but I think today is calling for more of a “Mary” approach.  

Emergency protocol.  Unload the sink and wash the tray- dirty dishes can just as easily wait on the kitchen counter.  Put the youngest in the high chair with some graham crackers and milk.  Get the middlest his juice and send him outside to play.  Tell the oldest she left school sick, so she must stay in bed and rest.  Grab my Bible, my laptop, and sit at the table with some tea.  

It has been my prayer that God uses this writing habit as a way of centering myself, and bringing my focus back to His will and what is truly important.  I hope you find comfort in some of the verses shown to me this morning.

This verse always helps bring me back to His desires.  He doesn’t want us to feel overwhelmed and stressed by the everyday tasks we find ourselves consumed with: the dishes, the laundry, the yard work.  Really, how imperative is it that my home be perfectly in order?  I can guarantee you, regardless of whether it is or isn’t, that is not God desires for my life or yours.  There are so many more important things, lasting things.  Things that will carry over into future generations and into eternity.  Regardless of the plans we make, His plan is already in motion, and it’s bigger and it’s better than anything we can think up.

Blessings to you on this beautiful day!

Mandy