In Real Life - Enjoy the Muffins !

      Psalm 34:8-Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

  I clocked out  by swiping my badge, sort of sighing in relief that the night was over. I flung my purse across my shoulder and headed out to the parking lot. There was my husband smiling at me from the driver seat of the van, ready to pick me up. I got in  and he graciously asked me how my night went. “ It was okay”, I half heartedly said. He looked at me reading me like a book. “ What’s wrong?”, he replied, knowing something was up. “ I am just tired. I have all these goals honey and I just don’t have enough time to meet them. I just wish I could be home. It just seems so hard sometimes.” Of
course I went on with a few other complaints. One thing about my husband from day one of our marriage is he has never really allowed me to have a full blown pity party. He has a habit of nipping it in the bud. I have often found this annoying,because, well I like having pity parties on occasion. But I also count this my greatest blessing.

           My husband being the straight shooter that he is, took aim at me and fired. Hitting the bulls eye. He simply but firmly replied to my pity party sentences, “ You know what your problem is honey ?” I kind of looked up as if I were surprised, had I not been married to this guy for sixteen years. “ What ?”, I very hesitantly answered. “ You don’t enjoy your muffins, you just want the cake !”  I didn't even have to ask what that meant,  I knew. With one slogan he had silenced me.

                I sat there thinking. Then I sat there convicted. God has given me so many good things, or muffins according to my husband. I stopped my long list of complaints and self pity sorrows and tried to look over my shoulder so to speak. I could see what my husband was talking about. God had given me so many little adventures, so many opportunities, so many undeserved gifts. He had handed me muffin after muffin to taste and see that He is good. Here I was again, complaining that I had not received the cake, as my husband had so well put it.

                I stopped right there in the van and asked God to forgive me. Then I decided to thank Him for all the muffins. Too many to count really. He had been so good to me , in so many ways. Here I was complaining that He had not been good enough to give me the cake I had hoped for. I am so thankful that my husband opened my eyes through pastries, ( which by now he knows is the way to my heart.) In his simple terminology, he stopped what had become a complex pity party  ( one that didn't taste very good either) . I was on a quick road to oogling over bigger and better, instead of gazing down to what was right in front of me , just like a pastry shop display case. There they were , all the beautiful muffins God had given for me to enjoy all these years. Step by step along life's way, right in front of me.

                Sometimes God doesn't give us the BIG right now. He knows us, just like we know our kids. We would eat the whole thing and end up sick. Instead with His wisdom, love and grace He gives us what we need today. Those little tastes of His blessings richly given to us for our enjoyment. Not because we are good, but because He is. I love my husbands slogan,” Enjoy the muffins!” I have adopted it and I am using it in our home. Yesterday Titus was complaining about something he didn't have. I quickly said, “ Your not enjoying your muffins!” “ What does that mean mom !”, he quickly asked. I told him in love just like his dad did to me. I will keep using this slogan as my kids grow, and I will say it to myself when the next pity party blows it's horn, throws confetti and sends me an invitation.

                We can all use a straight shooter in our lives. We can all use a reminder to look back over our shoulder and see all the goodness of God toward us in the past years, months and days. Muffin after muffin. We can complain about not having the cake, or we can rejoice in all the sweet small gifts He has given us . There are so many as I discovered that day in the van. I hope that you see it too. You may not have the cake you think you need, but God has surely given you a multitude of muffins. Do you need to hear it, I did,   “ Enjoy the muffins !”

Deep Breaths: Love & Marriage: Laughter & Contenment- A Great Pa...

Deep Breaths: Love & Marriage: Laughter & Contenment- A Great Pa...: Welcome to Day #2 in the Love & Marriage mini-series! Danielle is my sweet friend from Arizona.  We did not have nearly enoug...

He Hears Me, Even in the Bathroom

                 1 John 5:14-15 -  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.

                The sun was just setting as the waitress showed my friend and I to the table next to the window. I think we both heaved a sigh as I threw my purse over the edge of the chair letting it sort of swing there before it stopped. It had been a long week and looking in my friends eyes I knew it had been one for her as well. " Coffee please !" were the first words out of my mouth. My friend echoed the same. I would be lying if we both didn't say it with some urgency. We both just kind of sat there and took it in before we started talking. The silence was golden.When the coffee arrived and we had a few sips our hearts began to open up. We shared about our week, our month. Things we were concerned about, things that had gone right. Our kids and the fun things they did or said, and also the behaviors that was challenging for us as moms.
                 I began to share how God had just answered a prayer of mine that I had been desiring for a long time. One I had been praying for for months. My friends face suddenly dropped as she said, " Oh! How did you do it, find the time to really get down and prayer over your issue?" My heart broke for my friend.  If she only knew how hard it has been for me to carry this and find those moments to let God take it. She was looking at me like I was a spiritual giant. Like I had a key she didn't. Like I prayed a pray she couldn't. I sat there watching her look at me like I had it all together. I kind of laughed looking at her look at me like I had done something amazing, when I knew I hadn't. I made a joke, put my hands together tight, furrowed my brow and bent over the chair. " It wasn't like this !" I said. I wish I had time to pray like that, but to be honest it wasn't like that at all." Oh, okay !" she giggled her features resting and sipping her coffee again she just relaxed. I began to share with her, that I prayed in my day to day life. I prayed as I did dishes, washed clothes or any other tasks. Whenever this issue weighed on my heart I inquired and asked God to help me. Mostly I prayed in the car alone when I could cry and no one could see. When I could talk to God on the way to work without being interrupted by kids or needs around me. I told my friend I prayed , but believe it or not I pray mostly during my 12 hour night shift.
                  Sometimes the issue was so heavy, whenever I could I would run to the bathroom and ask God for help.Then I would wipe my tears before going back out to work. I prayed under my breath while caring for patients.I prayed in medical closets before stocking rooms. My friends face lightened, as she saw I was not some super prayer warrior, but just a real girl , with real issues , in this real life. I am so thankful that God hears us when we pray and where we pray. He see's the attitude of our heart and that is a comfort. He doesn't wait for us to find the perfect spot, sit in the perfect chair and say the perfect prayer, he hears us.There is no place in this life we cannot call out. If it's over our work desk, over a sink full of dishes, or in the car running errands. That can give any busy mom hope !
                   There are still issues that weigh on my heart and I still lock myself in the bathroom at work from  time to time.The issues of my home and all the needs I cannot meet, often hit me when I have to go to work.You see there are things I long to do at home. Things I feel I miss. Work is the place God hears my heart though no on else can. There are times at my job I look up and talk to God. There are times I am praying and no one knows. There are nights my cheeks are tear stained. God may not answer now, but I know He hears me, even in the bathroom. He hears me  in the only solitary place I can find as the words come out, " Jesus, I need you !"
               
 Is there something you are holding on to because you don't have time to find a place to pray. Don't let that stop you. The confidence we have in Him is that He hears us. He hears us when it is in accordance with His will. He doesn't say where He hears us, just that He hears us. If you have time to pray alone in silence , do it ! Enjoy that season of your life and take advantage of it. But if you don't have loads of time don't let it stop you from praying. Remember He hears you wherever you pray. How do I know? He heard me and answered me in the bathroom :)