584 - It's Not My Thing

Oh Lord, thank you for a wonderful weekend. I appreciate the beautiful weather you gave us and the family time as well. It was busy as a bee weekend, but I do love those as well. Emmajoy spent the night at a friends and the rest of us just worked around the house and all. I was getting ready for a garage sale. OH - Friday the doctors would not burn or freeze anything off Emmajoy's neck. He said it scared too much and so we have to just let it go. Ugh!! I got a shot in my foot and I can not tell you the incredible difference in it!!! Wonderfully awesome!!! Thank you so much for cortisone!! Yeah baby! Garage sale was fun, but cold!!! Then that evening the kids had a sitter and the Trouts, Neibels, and us went to a play our friends were in - in Grayville. It was called Greater Tuna. Our friends did a really nice job. I have a hard time staying awake in anything after eating and dark... but what I saw was really good! Of course church was so good. SS just made me want to go home to Glory - what else could be better, and then church was that good as well. I keep waiting for my preacher to have an off day - nope! Have you visited our website? www.fbcarmi.org - i think!

All of my kids are in a church production that is being "aired" in the next couple of weeks. Of course the girls love it, each having some kind of solo and speaking lines, but not so much for Tucker. He had rather have many teeth pulled than to be on stage saying lines let alone singing. It just about kills him. There are only a few other boys his age in the church and they each are counting on one another to be there and suffer through this. I think as moms each one of us has told our own kid that if "you don't do it then so and so won't - you are an example to the smaller ones." Needless to say all of our boys think they are what the show is hinging on. For right now that is fine for them to think that. At least it has kept them there each week.

As the weeks have gone by it has been harder and harder to get Tucker there and get him to do anything too. I think the past 2 weeks on the way to church he has all of a sudden gotten the worst headache in history and felt as though he were going to throw up. It is amazing how after we leave the church and the neighbor boy is outside ready to play he miraculously gets healed and ready to play. Uh - I don't think so!!

This past week was really bad. "We" got deathly ill and even had to run off stage once to see if "we" were going to get sick. I was very, very frustrated. Many of the kids - mostly the boys - were not into it at all. Attitudes stunk and you could see and hear it all over their faces. Even some of the girls were quite pitiful. We stopped the show for a moment and had a word with the kids. My blood was pumping since it was 3 of my 4 that would have rather been doing other things, but the "word" was going to benefit the group.

I explained to the kids that Jesus is sitting a God's right hand and speaking wonderful things about us to the Father. Jesus never slouched his shoulders and hung his head when He spoke of us. He even had His own song He sang over us from time to time. He is excited to speak about His children and would never be bummed out to brag on us. I went on to say how it must break the heart of God to see us grumpy about not singing His praises and especially about the Risen Savior. My spiel then went on to those that will be there that day that may have never heard about Jesus's death and rising from the dead. There just might be someone that has never heard the gospel and this might be the chance they have to lead someone to the Lord through a musical. Getting long winded I rounded down the speech explaining to them that this may not be their thing. Some had rather be on the ball field. Some had rather be swinging with friends, some had rather be on the phone or even some watching TV. But for this moment and for this period of time this is where God (through their mother's hand) has placed them. It may not be their thing, but this is it. For such a time as this - this is where you are to be and to do a good job. Since you do have to be here you might as well enjoy your time and make the Lord proud.

After sitting down and seeing a few of the kids actually click with those words the Lord hit me. How many times am i placed in a situation that I had so rather be somewhere else or be around someone else? How many times am I called to a particular task and I end up just passing because it is not my cup of tea? Oh Lord - I know!!! How many times do I "preform" a certain house chore with a extremely grumpy attitude? When Clay gives me that Honey-Do list - do I have a great attitude? What kind of things am I called to at the moment and complain my way through it? LOTS!

Col. 3:17 "Whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Lord Jesus help me to realize that no matter what You have brought me to I can do even it - washing dishes, changing a diaper, singing in choir, watching a baseball game, exercising, chemo treatments, working, waiting, cleaning house, etc. - to the glory of You and make You smile by my pleasing attitude and smile. The kids are going to learn by my example. Help me to not fall so short!! I love you , Jesus!