3:52 p.m. Today's project was to attend the Moms' Morning Bible study at Charise's home. I had been eagerly looking forward to this, because the young moms are studying a very inspirational Sally Clarkson book on biblical mothering. Joanna and Charise had attended a moms' conference last February and came home inspired to begin the book study. Their weekly gathering is a real answer to months of prayer and planning.
This morning's chapter focused on Proverbs 22 , the training of children from their earliest years. While Joanna opened discussion on verses 6, 15, and 29, her little Emma toddled back and forth, eventually settling nicely at a tot-sized table with her Cheezits. Jason, Charise's husband, along with a babysitter, watched the bevy of little ones for us. But he won't be available for long, because he starts a management job with Starbucks soon! What an answer to prayer!
We began with stating the obvious--that children are immature, and their thinking and behavior reflects that. Foolishness is indeed bound up in the heart of a child, and we parents are to correct it. Period. This is a parent's responsibility; these at-home moms are prayerfully committed to setting a godly example, but they don't have to do it alone. The Lord is with them, and with all of us believers who decide to "go for it!" as Joanna put it, to decide that God is really who He says He is, in any and all circumstances. God also provides flesh-and-blood older moms as mentors and examples, following Titus 2:3-5: "The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things--that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." As my young friends walk the walk today in their homes, I am delighted to be able to pray for them, encourage them with humor and love, and not reminiscence too much, I hope!
From Charise's, I headed over to Home Depot on Perris Blvd. to look into a last-minute surprise gift for Steve--a new RED wheelbarrow! $49.97 is pretty reasonable, so I just have to hide it over at Nick & Heather's until Christmas. I'll need to get my inventory out of the Jeep tomorrow afternoon, put down the seats, head on over there, and hide my prize.
At home, Steve and I had a good lunch, I got a little business taken care of, and then headed out to the beauty salon. Though I was expecting a relaxing, 1 o'clock hair color appointment, my hairdresser was met with a buzz-saw of interruptions and late clients, so I had a pedicure next door while my color was "taking", and did not leave for home until a quarter of 4!
Yikes! I still had to get two lemons and do my lemon bars, another family favorite for Christmas. I got Heidi to pick them up, and when we both got home, nerves were raw, and the inevitable back & forth ensued. Poor thing, she did admit tearfully that she was hurt and sad because on a day when teachers were giving each other homemade gifts and treats, she got nothing. It's hard to be the new person, and part-time at that, on a teaching staff. I've been there, and you just have to hold your head up, smile, give out cards yourself, and look to the Lord for other blessings in your life. her students agave her some nice gifts, telling her, "You're an awesome teacher!" Isn't that what counts anyway?
Heidi did get a card from the principal, who in a Grinch-like fashion, told her that she'd now be on the supervision schedule! HELLO? Heidi does not even get a lunch or any prep time for a very demanding remedial curriculum that she teaches after a morning at another school. She is made to teach an extra half- hour that the grade level could do themselves and give Heidi a chance to prepare her lesson. It may be time to pray about talking to the union in January. I don't like their politics, but they do represent their members well.
Meanwhile, back to my day, there was an urgent text from Steven about more ParentPlus loan funds needed for college; an unexpected bill from Mercury car insurance; and the ringer was off of Steve's cell phone, or he could have plucked some lemons from our back yard instead of my having to ask Heidi to buy some! Did I mention dinner? That was a long way off, for sure. And a life insurance agent set to arrive at 7 p.m.!
All has been resolved, including the lemon bars; the insurance agent just arrived; and once again, no matter how agitated I get, God loves me and I realize that "God will perfect all that concerns me."
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