Life Lesson - Faith Like A Child

Well, for the record, yesterday's post was a bust. For some reason, I could not get the Hoops and Yoyo page to work from the blog. It was really cute too. And it really reeks because I was going to do a whole series on manners using them... Grrr. I'm going to keep trying because I think it would be a fun way to teach us some lessons.

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I don't mind posting these life lessons. It's when they are learned first hand that they're harder to take.


Gulp.


Last week, the kids and I were hurrying so that we could make an appointment on time. As it was, I had already caused tears of heartache just by yelling at the kids, the girl in particular. I did some major backtracking, apologizing to my girl and admitting that I was entirely at fault. She fortunately forgave me quickly.


So then I hurried everyone into the car, speeding down backroads in order to make up lost time. A couple of times I thought of turning up other streets, but I decided to go to the last road to make the best time - only when I got to the last road, I found it closed due to road repairs. Arrrg! You should have heard the grumbling I was voicing in the car. It was loud. It was very complaining. It was gruff.


Out of the backseat, I hear the girl say, "It's okay, Mom. God's just protecting us somehow."


As I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at her, I thought that she was actually right. If I trust God to take care of me in all things, then that would have to include this obstacle. I thanked her for her wisdom and continued with a lighter heart.


Until... I realized we weren't going to make our dinner plans either due to the detour. Then I began grumbling again. I pulled into McDonald's because we had to have some dinner prior to our appointment. Seeing that the drive thru line extended all the way to Texas, I thought I would run into the restaurant to quickly grab the food.


Heh.


I waited ten minutes to get that food. Ten minutes for three hamburgers and two fries. I guess everyone in the drive thru was more important than the customers at the counter. So as I grabbed my food and ran out the door, I entered the car doing what? You got it - complaining. I complained about the wait, about the line, about how late we really were going to be. I didn't even make it out of the parking lot before the girl piped in, "Mom, it's okay! At least we have food to eat and our food is really fresh. God's got it all figured out."


And she was right. Gosh I wish I had a trusting heart like hers.


As we're traveling north, I asked the kids to pray that we would hit all greens, which we did. I gave a prayer of thanks for allowing us to make great time through town.


Until.


I saw the traffic on the interstate. S L O W E R T H A N M O L A S S E S ON A VERY COLD DAY. And guess what I did again? Go on. You'll never guess.


Oh, well. I guess you can.


I started complaining AGAIN. I actually said that I just couldn't catch a break... after making all those lights and having fresh food and having a wonderful Jiminy Cricket in my backseat. I am such an idiot.


Again the girl piped, "Mom, when are you going to get it that God has got everything under control? It's okay that we're here in this traffic. It's okay if we're going to be late. It's just okay."


I looked back at that sincere face which was full of trust and it hit me. I need faith like a child. Or a tweener in this case. To be that trusting and that hope-filled in the face of trials is the essense of perfect peace. And she was absolutely right. Everything was absolutely okay.


I just hope she remembers that the next time she whines that she has a bookbag full of homework.


Oh, and our appointment? Yeah, it started half an hour later than what I thought. If that's not God having a bit of fun with me, then I don't know what it is. That will teach me to think that I've got anything under control.