As I sat in my car at the park waiting for the boys to come back to the car I look up and see them... all four of them like the Monkeys walking toward me all in a line and it struck me that my son is growing up and these could be friendships that will last a lifetime. I wondered if I am raising him to be a good friend. I wondered if I am praying the right things for him... and it hit me. No not everything I am praying is what I should be asking God to do. I shouldn't be praying for him to be the best as soccer. I should be praying that he be the best team player. I shouldn't be praying for him to win all the time or score the most goals.... I should be praying that he does his best and works hard no matter what the score. I should be praying for sportsmanship and honor. No, I am not praying right. I know that it is good that I am praying at all, but just any prayer won't do. God sees to the heart of our prayers and if my heart isn't holy then my prayers won't be answered. I want those prayers to affect his life in a positive way. I want him to be successful, but not with the success of the world. I want him to be successful in a way that is pleasing to God. I want him to have friends not trophies. I want him to make good choices not just choices that lead to him winning at any cost. No, that is not what I want for him. I made a decision today to change how I pray for him and what I pray. Phew, if hat wasn't a big ah ha moment, and that was just the morning....
I know this next part is probably going to make me seem like an incredibly spoiled, pampered brat... but it is important for me to put this to memory. Today, I mowed my own lawn for the first time EVER. I actually had to sheepishly ask my neighbors not only to borrow their lawnmower, but ask how to use it. Lucky for me I do have mechanical aptitude and I was off in a minute of a lesson (I know it isn't incredibly hard). However, there are a few pointers that needed to be made that I guess your average person knows... like if the grass is high and you push to hard the mower dies and you have to start it all over again (and again and again). Also, grass stains (your feet very green)Oh, and in case no one told you.. NO FLIP FLOPS.... who knew that not only would the grass completely dye your feet but your favorite sparkly flip flops will turn a puce green permanently. (I may roll some hard boiled eggs in the stuff just to see if this is a new organic Easter Egg dye.) Also, I guess I could have cut my toes off or gotten a rock thrown at them, but the angels were looking out for me. Anyway, not only did I survive, but I felt a great sense of peace and comfort knowing that I had mowed my own lawn. There is something so stress relieving in doing things for oneself whenever possible. There is also something to be said for accepting help when you need it. This occasion was just a simple feeling of peace and accomplishment. It was a blessing and I am going to be grateful for that moment. Green feet and all. I am thinking that this might be where the term "green thumb" really originated and that since I have green feet, my garden will be AMAZING this year.
I ended the day making supper for my family and getting one more moment. The day was so peaceful that my usually ADD addled brain focused beautifully and for the first time in a very long time I was able to prepare the entire meal for my family without everything being timed badly and the meat ready 30 minutes before everything else so everyone has to eat cold meat and super hot veggies.... or maybe I am the only one that does this stuff. Anyway, everything just seemed so stress free and effortless. RIGHT AS THE SUCCESS AND PEACE WAS CREEPING OVER ME that devil creeps in and whispers... you shouldn't have to do all this by yourself.... you shouldn't have to serve everyone... it's Mother's Day weekend... you should be served!!! THAT RIGHT THERE IS THE DEVIL FOR SURE... oh he had to show up.... whenever you feel the peace of God... trust me Satan will send those imps to whisper to your head all the lies he can muster to throw you off balance. BUT I serve a loving God and He quickly helped me remember the most important part of my salvation.... I was SERVED by the Master who came to earth as a servant. I was saved because Jesus SERVED. The greatest blessing that God can bestow on any of us is the privilege to be a servant. I am blessed my mother is alive and I am able to serve her. I will cut her meat and fix her meals and clean her room (or ask my daughter to!) and change her sheets and help her bathe and I will be grateful for ever minute. I will SERVE my children by praying for them, cooking for them, driving them to activities and offering as much discipline as needed. I will suffer through their anger because I was given the blessing of serving these precious people that God chose for me to serve. Service is gift and that was the best moment of the day. I got to defeat the devil and enjoy more peace. I finished cleaning the kitchen. I grabbed my now cold dinner plate and walked upstairs to write about my day.
I have now written my first entry in my blog. Which officially rounds this day out as the best, most peaceful day in a long time! This blog is just a simple journal of my crazy, hodgepodge of a life. I hope it encourages someone to push on toward finishing the race. I hope it brings a smile or a chuckle. Everyday I will write something or post a picture. I am not really good at this yet, but if God wants anyone to see this... they will. Of that I am sure!
Blessings to the readers!
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