Ever have one of those days, or maybe a few in a row, when life just gets in the way? You have your day’s agenda all laid out & BOOM, life happens and your plans go out the window. Ever have that happen? Yeah, me too! Yesterday and today have been two such days when unexpected events, turned our usual routine, especially homeschool, upside down.

Yesterday began with a power outage - the temperature was a frigid 14 degrees, the wind was whipping something fierce, and the snow was falling. (It was beautiful to watch.)

The power outage didn’t last long, but long enough to make the computers unable to connect online (not to mention all the stupid clocks that had to be reset!). I did everything my non-technical brain knew to do to get the computers back online, but to no avail.

“So” I said to myself, “Now what are you going to do?”

My never ending, ever growing to-do list certainly had more than enough non-computer stuff on it to keep me busy for a week, but it seemed like everything I tried, ran into a road block. Arrgh!!! Other things on the list, like clean the woodwork, well I’ll be honest here, I just didn’t want to do them. So I didn’t. Ha!

“I know what!” I said to myself, “I’ll take a nap!” “Great idea, Sue!”

I did & it was absolutely dreamy!!!! (Pun intended - I love puns )

When I woke up two hours later (!), I came downstairs to find that my nearly 16 year old grandson had shoveled and de-iced the driveway so his grandfather wouldn’t have to, fixed the computer problem so that everything was up & running slicks-a-smelt (a Maine expression meaning ‘really good’) and as if that wasn’t enough, he had picked up the house and begun decorating for Christmas!

I came down the stairs to find the banister wrapped with greens sprinkled with tiny white lights and shiny red-ball garland. It was so beautiful; I was so blessed.

Next, I walked into the kitchen to find all the paper mountains and other clutter cleared from the kitchen table, (aka “my office”) and cleared from the counter as well. (I think clutter somehow grows itself on the counter!)

In the middle of the kitchen table was a pretty centerpiece consisting of a tin star filled with pine cones and a tealight candle in the middle. Other lovely scented candles were lit throughout the kitchen and connecting family room. In spite of the cold outside, my heart was warm, very warm.

Today, my husband called from his work wanting to know if I could make a meal for a co-worker who unexpectedly lost his grandmother. Although she was his grandmother, in reality she raised him & to him was a mother. Understandably, he was taking it very hard.

Of course I’d make a meal! “When do you want it?” I asked?

“Could you do it today?”

There was a long pregnant pause on my end as I thought about all I planned to do today, especially after yesterday. But, finally I said “Sure, I can do that.”

What was more important, keeping my schedule or ministering to someone who was deeply hurting, and who through that ministry might see the love of Jesus? Which lesson was of greater value to the kids, saying no to someone in need because we have work to do, or laying that aside to help someone in need?

Yep, life got in the way yesterday and today, but the life lessons are invaluable!

Yesterday, by changing my plans, God gave my grandson the opportunity to give the gift of himself and experience the delight in delighting the rest of us.

Today, my husband’s request can be viewed as an interruption to my schedule or a God-given opportunity to share Jesus’ love with someone in pain. I choose to see it as a gift.

Have you ever had one of those days when life got in the way? I’d love to hear about it!

Pressing On,

Sue

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 6th, 2007 at 10:42 am and is filed under Life Lessons. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.