And There They Were

Ever feel this way in the middle of the chaos that sometimes is life? Hey! I’m doing it, but I’m tuckering out. I've been working so hard, but I can see the end of the tunnel now. Soon I'll be able to collapse into my favourite chair and get the rest I deserve!

But then—something unexpected happens that either knocks you out of your chair, or annihilates the possibility of that completely. 

Yesterday I looked at the clock at 4 PM and thought: By 7 PM I should be sitting in the quietness of my space, perhaps listening to music and writing my blog.

At 4:05 PM, I was still inside that thought when one of my teenaged grandsons came to me and excitedly revealed, “Guess what, Grandma? Me and my two brothers are staying over night with you!” 

My vocal response was, “Great! I’m so glad!” My inner thought, however, was screaming: NOOO!! 

Out went any fantasies of resting, and in crashed thoughts like: What about my chair? What will I feed these three strapping boys who I've not planned for, and who love to eat? And ... when am I going to get my blog written? It's draw day tomorrow!

At 7 PM I was chopping potatoes to go on the grill. Full transparency: I was in no mood to be making supper at that time of day. At this point my patience was quite thin, which is a polite way of saying I didn't have any. So … I’m grumbling away inside our camper as they frolic’d about the campground. (Okay—they don’t frolic anymore. They’re lads who ride bikes, are active all the time, and ask for snacks, more snacks, and even more snacks.) 

Back to the chopping … I’m all alone and feeling sore, and sorry for myself, when I flipped a few chunks of potato onto the floor. As I bent to scoop them up I said out loud, "God, I'm tired and grumpy. I just wanted to come home and rest! I know my attitude sucks, but you're the only one who can change it!" (I didn't even ask nicely.)

It was just seconds later, when I was rinsing off the bacteria-laden-from-the-floor pieces of potato, that I happened to glance outside. And there they were -- talking and laughing and drinking all our pop, with their grandpa … who was standing by the grill waiting for the potatoes I'd been throwing on the floor.

I literally placed those pieces down, moved closer to the window, and simply watched them. It was in those few seconds that I found the quiet moment I’d been craving all day. And all I could do was thank God — for three grandsons who love their *old grandparents enough that they WANT to, and are EXCITED to still stay with us. 

They stayed the night, and I felt as if I cooked almost all day today, as well, but I did it with a different attitude. Was I still tired? Yes. Even more-so, in fact. But as I worked in the kitchen, and watched one of them lounging in my favoured chair, I had to grin. Here is proof that God has a sense of ironic humour, and He is GOOD.

Before they pulled out of the campground in the beater car the eldest saved for and bought himself, my husband and I prayed--definitely for a safe ride home, but also that they'll feel free to come again, and often. 

I'm blessed to be loved so well by these precious few who don’t care if I get any rest.

Philippians 4:13 (NASB1995) "I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me."

Tired, but thankful,

Pattie Janzen

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*Although I don’t normally admit to being old, I know what I thought of people my age when I was a teenager.