June 2, 2008 @ 1:24 pm | Filed under: Soul Food,The Solid Rock,Uniquely Me
When I was raising my boys, one nightly tradition was spending the last few minutes of each day reading to them. One of their favorite stories, and still one of mine, was If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
If you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll probably ask for a glass of milk. If you give him a glass of milk, he’ll probably ask for a straw. If you give him a straw, he’ll most likely need a napkin.
On and on the story goes, taking the mouse through various household chores and activities until finally – spent and exhausted – the mouse takes a nap. When he wakes from the nap – sure enough – he’s hungry and…you got it…he asks for a cookie.
Some days are like that, one activity begatting the next, and so on and so on and so on.
I had a day like that a couple of weeks ago.
I had been looking forward all that week to sleeping in on Saturday, whatever that means for me. Lately I’ve been running on about five or six hours of sleep each night and – after a long and tiring week – I thought the idea of sleeping until 7:30 or eight sounded really good.
Instead I woke at around 5:30 and lay there, wide awake, until I finally eased from the bed and made my way through the sleeping house to the living room. Something deep within me was stirring, something that made me acutely aware of just what a blessed day it was.
The week had been long, it had been tiring, but I’d not only made it through, I’d made it through with the deep-seated knowledge that God was directing my footsteps and my actions; easing me slowly but surely through the long list of to-do’s and must-do’s until all the projects, all my work, and all the kid drama – everything was not only done, but done well.
I sat with my coffee and spent quiet time with Him – so thankful, so grateful, for His mercy and strength. The quietness and solitude of the room around me seemed to reflect the quietness of my spirit and it all felt so good.
At the tail end of a week where I’d spent energy like money and had run the gamut of emotions in dealing with life’s craziness I simply sat in my living room and reveled in the secure certainty that I am a God’s girl.
At the end of my quiet time I attempted to go online, only to find that our internet was down. And that’s when the if you give the girl her God type of a day really began. Feeling energized and close to Him, I prepared a full, nutritious breakfast.
Well-fed and feeling healthy, I went for my run. I felt so good after two and a half miles that I ran for four.
As I walked the last block home, I found myself studying all the neighbors’ yards, realizing that my schedule had not allowed me the flexibility to spend any amount of time on my own flower beds.
I saw Mike out with the lawn mower as I walked the last few steps to our house, and that clinched it for me. Already sweaty and slighty grubby from my run (even the tip of my pony tail was dripping) I decided to stay in my running skirt and get busy in the dirt.
And the day was officially started…
One by one, each activity seemed to only prompt the next. I spent hour after hour taking care of the things around the house that I’d let fall by the wayside in the full-on sprint that always comes at the end of another school year. When the day turned to night, I collapsed in the same spot as I’d spent my quiet time that morning. Somewhat tired again, but fulfilled.
Again I was quiet and reflective. Again I was filled with thankfulness for His care of me. Again I was very much aware of His mercy at work in my life.
On my own I am so weak. On my own I falter and question and – sometimes – whine.
On my own, I am just a woman. ONE woman.
I can only give so much as a friend. I can only instruct so much as a mother. I can only succeed so much as a student and as a writer.
I can only do so much.
But with Him…with Him all things are possible.
I may very well be a woman on the cusp of her midlife years.
But I very much feel like a little girl running into the arms of her God.
If you give a girl her God, she can do most anything.
