Ninjas, Jerks and Dirty Dogs

It's Veterans Day so let me start off by saying thank you to all the brave men and women who sacrifice their own desires to protect my right to purse mine.  You deserve our honor, our gratitude and our recognition.

Next, I wanted to say Happy Anniversary to my Nanny and Grandaddy.  Today, they are married 71 years!  This is the first time they've been together for their anniversary in 11 years.  If they have cake in heaven (and, of course, they do, it's heaven!) I hope they share a great big piece.  I miss you guys!!


Yesterday was an interesting, fun filled day.  I heard someone say "a good day is a day one in which you acquire knowledge".  If that is the case, then yesterday was, indeed, a good day.  I learned several things. I learned, if you let a white dog outside when it's raining, you will have a black dog that returns to your clean floor as, apparently, fresh, black, soil is irresistible if you are of the canine persuasion.   Consequently, I also learned my groomer is booked on Fridays. 

I also learned that if you discover a 6 yr old has taken the Leapster game into his bed without your knowledge he will still be awake at 11 pm and be very grumpy the next morning.  So grumpy, in fact, I contemplated pinching his head off, hiding the body, and telling God I lost him.  Never fear, he survived to grump another day and I avoided a felony sentence.

I think the most important lesson I learned, though, was centered in my kitchen.   I spent hours cleaning.  Those of you who have been forced kicking and screaming  blessed to enter my home know, I don't always have the greatest luck in the house cleaning arena.  My mother-in-law has a saying; "cleaning your house while the kids are still growing, is like shoveling the walk while it's still snowing".  I pretty much try to live by that.  Anyway, what I found is evidently a clean floor will attract soda, and, if you live with a soda ninja like I do (also known here as surfer boy) that unopened 2 liter bottle will find a way to come crashing down with enough force to break the top off.  It was like the Mt St Helen's eruption.  First, Dr Pepper sprayed my ceiling, then, the bottle fell over and started spinning around like a 4th of July firework while spewing it's contents wildly on every surface within a 15 ft perimeter.  I was covered, Surfer boy was covered, the floor, the cabinets, the ceiling, the windows were covered.  The huge load of groceries just purchase and unbagged but not put away was covered.  Since he was in the middle of emptying the dishwasher, all the cabinets were opened so now all my dishes were covered.  My pantry doors were open so everything in the pantry was covered.  Hours later, I even found soda inside the kitchen drawers.  Inside!  Every time I think I have it all, I find more.  It was honestly unlike anything I have ever seen before, and if I'd had a video camera I would, certainly be a very rich woman!

How did I react to this unexpected geyser of sticky, sweetness, you ask?  I laughed.  That's really all you could do, was laugh.  But, as usual, I learned a lesson. (one other than don't sit soda that close to the edge of the counter!)  You see, it was in his excitement over the purchase of his favorite cheesy dip of goodness that Surfer Boy knocked the soda off the counter thereby causing the mess and earning the name "soda jerk ninja".  It was simply a failure to control his exuberance, but that's not the reason I didn't get mad. It was his immediate reaction that caused grace and mercy to flow.  He automatically assumed responsibility and started cleaning up the mess.  It was the willingness to admit his mistake and take steps to rectify it that drew my heart.  As it had completely emptied that 2 liter bottle, he needed a lot of mercy, and a lot of towels!

I wonder if our attitude can spark the same reaction from the Lord.  I believe it can.  When we bring a mess to him and say "this is my mess, I made it, it's my fault, what can I do to fix it" something in God's heart is touched.  He moves in, provides us the answers we need, cleans us and our mess right up and sets us back on the right path.  We may still have to endure some consequences, but we are graced and He walks right through them with us.  Don't hesitate today to take your "mess" to the Lord with the right attitude.  He lavishes us with his grace and his goodness! 

Surfer Boy didn't get into any trouble. He'd made a mistake and took the necessary steps to fix it.  While I did help him clean up a little, he did most of it himself.  He received some mercy from me, but, I'm not God so he was on his own when it came to cleaning the ceiling!

Till next time, I'll be here chugging away, chasing boys and dogs while trying to keep things in order and keep my sanity.  On the upside, I discovered a new perfume; Ode to Dr Pepper.  It could catch on.....


Soaked in His blessings,
Spokenfor