Today is a new day, but if I NEVER see another one like yesterday I will be ALL too glad. I don't know why in the world I even had an agenda for the day. Since the entire city of Lubbock was TAKS testing on Tuesday, I could not go help pull math work or stuff folders like usual. Instead I had to do it yesterday(Wednesday), which was a bit of a departure from my normal routine, but I thought nothing of it because I was, after all, helping out at school. One bump in the road usually doesn't keep you from moving on in your plans, but if you come across a pot hole filled mile you're in trouble. And I was.
Chris is getting the motor rebuilt on an old car he used to drive--his current car has about seen it's last thousand miles. And we are of the staunch opinion that spending $500.00 to $1000.00 to repair a vehicle is SO much more economical than getting yourself into debt buying a new one. Now we know there are times when buying a new one just can't be helped for example when the old one is not longer repairable, or becomes too costly to repair. Or buying a new one may become necessary when the old one no longer fits the needs of your family. But that is not the case here. We have vehicle that can be repaired and we would like to think God will be pleased with us managing our finances in such a way as to not become indebted with a car payment again. So this car is being repaired, but it requires taking every hose, wire, and bolt out of the motor to remove it and replace it with a new one.
Well, the person repairing it (who happens to be my dad) came over yesterday RIGHT before I got ready to leave for school and informed me that he needed a book (a repair manual). Okay I'll get it after I finish at school as I go to pick up the items needed for dinner. But as I was getting ready to leave the school, my oldest son, Mark, was being bussed to the junior high that is his home school for a tour. The bus was already 20 minutes late, and when it pulled up it BLOCKED ME IN! Now if you've never been waiting on a bus you may not know that it takes FOREVER to load 54 kids on it. Finally after 15 minutes, I was free to drive off. At that point I realized there is no time to go grocery shopping and buy the repair manual. So I decided I would buy the book and go to the store after I pick the boys up from school. When I got home with the manual, my sister was here with her kids. I had forgotten that she was working and asked me to watch them. So I gave my dad the manual and he told me that I needed to go to Sears after I picked the boys up from school, and exchange some sockets because his were cracked. Sure, no problem I only had 5 kids under the age of 11 to take with me. Mind you I STILL had to go buy stuff for dinner! So I went to pick the boys up from school and at 3:10 I finally told Matthew to go find Mark--I made sure that yesterday was not running club day first. He comes back five minutes later to tell me that they were late coming back from their field trip and Mark was on his way as soon as he got his stuff together. We pulled away from the school at 3:17. I then proceeded to Sears and exchanged the sockets. When I finally got home it was almost 4. The boys still had to do their homework, and now it was time for my niece and nephew to nap. I got them down and then Dad told me he needed jack stands "Chris said he had some." I tore up our garage, but after I could not find them I called Chris. He was not answering and I looked on his schedule posted on the fridge--he had a manager meeting starting at 3. He finally called back at 4:40. The jack stands are in his trunk. Don't ask me why they are in his trunk, but apparently Dad is at a stand still and needs them like now. So I was off to get them out of his trunk--clear across town--10 minutes before five o' clock traffic. I realize that we only live in Lubbock and not DFW, but sometimes I think Lubbock drivers are just as bad as DFW drivers. We leave for church in 2 hours by this point and I have YET to start dinner--oh wait I need to go to the store first! I got the jack stands after I gave Chris many dirty looks--after all don't tell someone they can use something if you don't leave it where they can access it! I was determined at this point that I WOULD stop at the store. So I finally grabbed the stuff I needed for dinner and came home 10 minutes before Chris got here.
I got dinner cooked and all five children and four adults fed (by this time my sister was off) . Then, as I got to church I found out that a couple of my friends went out to eat lunch at Chili's where Chris is working. I never received a phone call. Hope you didn't burn your tongue on all that hot food! And after trying to situate the children I took into the nursery, I missed almost half of the service. So I left with my spirit still hungry--feeling like I had simply been teased. At that point I lost it and told Chris I WOULD NOT clean the kitchen or iron clothes. I was going shopping--at the only place still open at this time of night--Target or Wal-Mart.
As I drove off in a huff replaying my wasted day a song came on KLOVE. I don't know the title, but it reminded me of a little foster boy we had in the nursery for many months. I'll call him Josh for the sake of confidentiality. When Josh came he had been severely neglected and as to the abuse he suffered no one really knows. His neglect was so severe however that his nature had become animalistic. He would literally mark his territory in the home of his new foster parents. And he had MANY anger issues--he was only 4. Yet as he was given consistent love and boundaries by his parents he learned to socialize with the other children. And many times he would even be caught in his playtime singing a praise and worship song. I'll sing you a bit of some of his favorites..."My Saviors loves, My Savior lives, My Savior's always there for me," or "Blessed be the name of the Lord; Blessed be your name Jesus." The first one is the song that came on the radio last night. Josh is no longer with us--God ordained his time in our presence was done and he is now with a new family. And I miss him like crazy. But when the song came on last night I thought of him. As "bad" as my day had been, it was not nearly as bad as one of Josh's. Yet Josh would sing this song with all of his heart. And God reminded me that if one so innocent could find a reason to sing after suffering unfairly--then why couldn't I? I was perfectly content with pouting...letting off steam...taking it out on my willing hubby.
But God said, "instead of all those things, why don't you praise me?" So Josh, I will sing this song and remember your sweet spirit. Anyone care to join me? "My Savior Loves, My Savior Lives, My Savior's always there for me. My God He was, My God He is, My God He's always gonna be..."
