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 !”
No comments:
Post a Comment