What do you mean you need to eat breakfast? How does your mother..?
How does she get any of you to school on time?
Teeth brushed, hair combed. It's picture day... No green... you'll fade into the backdrop for the pictures. But we have to wear green! Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day! We'll get pinched.
Ugh. OK. Green underwear. Now, let's go!
Alright. Get in the car. We'll get biscuits on the way.
Like lovely little ones, they listened to their daddy and climbed on in.
Just like that. Believing that I was on top of things, believing I knew what I was doing. I am the dad after all, you know. One drive-thru is too long. The other, nobody liked the food. We pull up to the third stop.
You know what you want? Good! We've still got time to make it on time!
And then, you know what I did?
I reached into my pocket to pull out my...
FRICKENFRACKENSCROOPIOUSPIP! WHERE IS MY DANG-O-DANGO WALLET?
and just like that, I let 30 days of simplicity, 30 days of focusing and finding Christ in my life fall to the side.
Now, I am not a cussing person. At least not on the outside. I've slipped once or twice but most of the time it all goes on inside my head. And today, the kiddos didn't hear anything that they could not share with their friends at school... but they could see it in my face, in the tone of my voice.
I stressed them all out, trying to get them to school, trying to do my best to beat that clock on the wall... but I was bested by my own disorganization.
We got back into the car, drove back to the house, where we found our hero Mommy (Thank You, Ashley) who handed me over her last ten bucks of her spending cash. We dashed back down the driveway, hit the road and headed back for the biscuits. The poor kids still hadn't eaten.
When we got to school, I let the boys out the door and right underneath my son's book bag... I found my wallet.
I let them off at school, drove off waving, trying to smile but after I got past their school I pulled over to the side of the road and just paused and prayed... "God, why do I keep letting this happen?"
Yeah, that's right. This wasn't the first time. Same spot. Just a few months ago.
But actually, this is an amazing improvement over last year.
Last year, we were haunted by a gremlin who kept hiding my wife's car keys in my pockets in the mornings. I would pick up my set, I would remember that. But then I would get to school and Ashley would call and say, "Umm, Chip. Do you have my set of keys in your pocket?" She would be stranded at home and I would find her only copies, right there with me.
You want to know the most frustrating, kick-yourself-in-the-teeth part of it all?
Most days, I ride my bike to school.
So there. 30 days into it. I'm still a wreck. I still don't have it right.
Yesterday, I read something very powerful from Robert Lawrence Smith's A Quaker Book of Wisdom: Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service and Common Sense.
(Yes, reader, I did just hear you chuckle about the Common Sense part.)
"Living simply is... not about finding a quiet corner where you can contemplate; Living simply is about giving yourself the freedom to pursue that indestructible impulse to do good in the world, to go toward the best."
And that's why I raised my hand and agreed to teach this class. Not because I have simplicity solved. I still don't have the answer to the questions that so many of you have written to me. No, I agreed because this is what I strive for in my life. To do good, to make good and to share good things.
However, after thirty days of searching, I do believe I am closer than ever. I know the sun goes down every day and the sun comes back up. God is still there, giving me another chance. And I will continue to do my part. To write this blog, I sat at my little desk thought and read and cried. I worked through so many times in my life that needed attention. Many times had to leave the spot to get tissues.
This season of Lent, I said I was to say no to sugar. To keep my mind off of those cravings, I replaced the time with focus on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. And in this time, I have learned that it wasn't sugar that was keeping me from God. I think more importantly, it was that I saw I needed to be saying "no" to other things. No, to time wasting gadgets and the distractions of our modern lives. No, to overbooking my life. No, to my own conceit that I could handle any problem on my own.
Most importantly, I learned that my relationships are so much more powerful than I have ever given them credit. The time I spent trying to find my way through the troubles of my childhood, the traumas of middle school and the mysteries of adulthood... all of those paths were made easier by those wonderful folks in my life.
My parents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, my grand and great grandparents...
My teachers, my pastors, my professors...
Those who shared their talents to the masses through songs and stories...the ones I thought were singing their songs right to me... I was so honored to share their music with you here.
My children, Ashley's family (now may family, as well) and my friends over many miles,
and to my loving wife who always, always cups her hands and bends a knee to help me reach to the next level in life.
You have all taught me the love of God.
Link of the day...
Learn more about Andrew Peterson, his writing and music at http://www.andrew-peterson.com/
Quote of the day...
"If you want to live more, you must master the art of appreciating the little everyday blessings of life. This is not altogether a golden world but there are countless gleams of gold to be discovered in it." --Henry Alfred Porter
Bible verse of the day...
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
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