Thursday, October 18, 2007

Some days are truly longer than others. Today was one of those days.

After cleaning out the hot tub, adding the cleansers and bleaching the filters, I headed over to Dr D and Miss J’s to babysit the three little ones while they took E for a tonsultation (contraction of tonsil consultation). Miss J said she’s never left the three little ones without E before, and she was just a hair anxious. We all did beautifully. I even managed to convince H to eat several things she normally won’t touch.

JP cracks me up. He’s super smart and funny and a good kid, most of the time. He loves clothes, but since he’s potty training, Miss J likes to keep him in a shirt and underwear inside. He asked multiple times to put on his clothes. When I put him down for a nap, I told him in no uncertain terms not to get out of the bed. When I checked on him the first time, he was still “in bed” but jumping vigorously. The second time I heard drawers opening and closing and hurried up for a peek. When I opened the door, there he stood, completely dressed right down to socks and shoes on the wrong feet and his bright green baseball cap. He was pushing in the drawer right next to the bed and simply froze with an “uh-oh”. I wanted to sit down and laugh, but I kept my stern demeanor, showed him the spatula of discipline and never heard another peep out of him.

Dr D and Miss J got stuck in some heavy traffic, and didn’t make it home until pretty late. The kids were almost upset to see them—just because it meant two sad things would happen next. One, I was going home. Two, they’d have to go to bed.

I made it home just in time to catch my ride with Papa and Josiah in to the Tech library, where Papa was teaching 25 to Life again. There I met up with Jacinda, and after a quick “hello” to Emand Lin N, who were hard at work on the second floor, we made our escape to the beautiful evening for a walk.

I always love talking to Jacindarella. There’s no small talk, no beating around the bush, just straight up, honest, heart-to-heart about the Lord’s work in our hearts and lives. She shared how she really feels like the Lord has her at school right now to reach out to all the floundering girls and point them back to Christ. Her passion for girls is so strong, she gets frustrated when they just don’t see how good it can be, simply trusting the Lord.

I shared with Jacindarella something that's been weighing on me--a task I believe the Lord is calling me to, that I'm not too excited about. I whine, "It's too hard!" It’s hard because I don’t want to do it. It's hard because I had my own ideas of how to serve Him, and this doesn't quite fit what I had in mind. But I'm sure He wants me to do it. He's laid it on my heart, it's been confirmed by several others, and it fits His will as revealed in His word. It only remains for me to obey.

Lord, Thou asked, and I say “yes”

I’ll give this task my very best,

But Lord, I know that growth will come

Only through Thy gracious Son.

And so I ask that He preside

And I be only by His side

That He may write redemption’s story

And Thou receive the utmost glory.