a day late and a dollar short

Today is Jonathan's birthday. He is eight years old. His teacher sent me a nice little note, saying that I was welcome to bring in a birthday treat to his class today, and stay from 2:30 to 2:50. (and not a minute more!,ha.) I also had the option to just send something in with him. But he liked the idea of me coming in! He said, "You have never done that, Mom!". So I agreed to come in. Then...the dentist appointment I made several months ago just happens to be for today. I can still make it in time for Jon's school Quickie Party, but it will be rushed. As per usual, I guess.

A few of the kids thought it would be good to remind me that I never came to school for THEIR birthdays. Well, I had my hands kinda full.

I have had my hands kinda full for several-everal years now. And I always feel like I am forgetting something or someone. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I am not going to accomplish all that I try to do. I will never get a Clean House Award. I didn't go to college. I read books and think, "I could have written that!", and see inventions that I have already thought of..like the walking cane with a chair attached and the lights for sneakers (I saw them at Target!)...anyway, it's plain I will never be rich or famous.

And since Camille is up, and playing the ukelele she made out of a cereal box with rubber bands yesterday at Activity Club at church yesterday, I am distracted. We have to leave in like 45 minutes for the dentist, too. What was I thinking, making a morning appointment!!?

And it's probably good that I lost my train of thought, it looked like it was going in a bad direction. I would much rather count my blessings than feel sorry for myself.

So here is something that made me really happy:

Benjamin, as we all know, is in Afghanistan. He is at a remote outpost, with a small group of soldiers. He is a medic, as well as an infantryman. He goes out on patrol every single day. It is a stressful life, to say the least, but he is determined to make the most of it. So...the other day, they had a day off. A whole day, stretched before them. Then one of the Sgts. decided that the the tents were too messy...so....every single belonging of every single guy had to be carried out, the floors swept and mopped, and the things put back away neatly. Then a line of a song came to Ben, "Think that God can do a miracle within us..." He decided right then to take things right, that God always causes everything to work together for the good for those who love Him. And that made Ben happy. So he started joking that the pile of belongings looked like a garage sale....he said that he has noticed that when he really works on taking things right, the good spirit spreads to the other guys, and they get happy too. (he also mentioned that he has experienced when he has gotten upset and complained about things, it is contagious too). So he has decided that come what may, he will take what comes to him, from God's hand. What more could a mother ask for, for her son?

AND, the same day...Emily was sleeping, happily enjoying a day off from her usual 12 hour shifts as a nurse in medical intensive care. Then, her phone rang. WHERE ARE YOU? Oops, she was supposed to be at work, she thought she had the day off!!! As she got ready and headed to work, she was thinking BLAH thoughts....then the very same line from the very same song came into her mind, "Think that God can do a miracle within us...", and she decided that no matter what, she was going to be glad.

I was really really happy to hear that she had experienced the same thing on the same day as Benjamin. It shows that God is working. It is written in Rev. 2, 29, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit speaks to the churches." When we sang that very song yesterday at church, I was very glad indeed.

So today...as I go out and about with Kathryn and Evelyn and Camille...I will listen for what God has to say to me. It doesn't matter if I am smart and successful, or in my case, NOT smart and successful. The most important thing is how I take the trials, and that I let God mold me. When I stand before Him someday, I am very certain He is not going to ask me if I ever got that laundry room cleaned....