Real Life ain't for wimps

Today is just about like any other day.

And if you are a Mom of tiny ones, half a dozen to be exact, than you must be careful.

If you do not ward it off, you could find yourself moping around taking this "average" day for granted.

The sun is shining, the kids are yelling (I mean talking...) and you pull your crusted eyelashes apart just in time to behold the largest mound of dishes that for some reason you chose to "block out" of our memory as you slipped into a bed the night before, that you thought for sure was calling your name.

Fighting erupts over syrup, the cat steals part of the littlest one's pancake and you wonder why on earth you have not been smart enough these 10+ years to catch some of these things on tape so you would have some sort of chance of winning America's funniest videos and thus be comforted by this scene knowing you can now have your MAID, you hired with your winnings of course, clean up the mess for you.

The dog growls at you as you enter the living room, apparently not recognizing the latest "Bride of Frankenstein" hairdo you have been sporting this morning. He wakes the baby and you roll your eyes, making you oddly enough look MORE like the Bride of Frankenstein....

The baby is fed, one is clothed...the only little one home who can clothe HIMSELF, because after all, before 10 0'clock, that's the only way you are gettin' clothes on. Do it yourself. You look at this little one and pat him on the back as he shows you his outfit he chose for himself. You veer past the obvious mis-match and pat him on the back thinking to yourself, "Hmmm in a year or so, you will be able to take out the garbage for me..."

You have been up almost 45 minutes yet there seems to have been some force field of some sort keeping you away from the ever present mound of dishes. Normally you wouldn't have minded in the slightest, but Dad made cream of wheat for the older ones before school and well, you know how that stuff literally turns to cement on the bowls and pan the minute you turn your back on it.

Seriously.

You grab a scouring pad and WITH a scour you begin the daily grind of meeting the needs of those around you. You wince at the plaque hanging above the sink because the SON is coming through the window and hitting it smack on Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Yeah in some spiritual fit you nailed that thing up there. You know the power that is at your disposal as a child of God, yet you scrub and wonder if by noon you will be half comatose, rocking yourself back and forth in the blue chair, mumbling the Psalms and holding out hope that your husband will sweep through the door with a brilliant smile, and of course, take-out foods.

If you have not had a day that somewhat mirrors this day then I am sorry but you just cannot relate. You should stop reading and go finish ironing your towels like you were doing....

We don't have a television, but we have Internet which is for Pete's sake just as horrible I think. While going to watch the Olympics recaps on line on NBC I stumbled across an advertisement for one of their drama sitcoms, and well to be honest one thing led to another and BAM, there I was watching this silly episode.

You know the like, Girl with blond hair (who apparently has NEVER carried 6 children) appears. She is a career woman and every male in the building notices her every move, has the compassion of Mother Theresa and everyone works and shares their whole hearts. Girl doesn't need anybody, has it all and a bag of chips, meets the FIRST "Mr. Right" in the episode series and the chemistry is toxic. The music and lighting are exquisite, making each time they exchange a smile remind you of hour long talks in the "serious room" and gifts on your desk "just because" he was thinking of you.

You snap yourself out of this mess, make yourself a smoothie, but the damage has already been done. Your mind is filled with immodesty, and a zillion what if's. What if I was skinnier, what if we were dating again, what if I was smarter, funnier, yada yada yada.

You chug your smoothie and head back to the dishes which now having soaked for a half hour are now in the "jack hammer" stage and the cream of wheat, with enough pressure, will partially chip off. The Holy Spirit comes to you, slowly deliberately reminding you what you have in your hands. It may look like cream of wheat mess, but in reality it is a husband who loves you, who is committed to you even when you act like YOU should BE committed. It is six hoodlums who need you. They need fed, clothed, or at least clothes selected for them, and need you to love God with all of your heart soul and mind because after all, they will be just like you in too few years than you would like.

You have life. That breathing in and out thing. The very thing your body was fighting for just 8 months ago. You have an eternal home in heaven where "moth and rust" do not corrupt, Hallelujah for that. You have a Father who can bless you and wants to use you when you deny that old man of yours and allow yourself to be filled with the Spirit of the living God. When you look at life through His vantage point and know that His will is far better than ANYTHING the world could even hope to offer.....you can take His Word on it.

With so much entertainment out there, or IN HERE I should say, we can despise the very things that God means to bring us the most satisfaction and meaning to our lives. Goodbye Hollywood, Hello home sweet home. After all, this wonderful life thing is NOT all about YOU.

You grab your Bible, settle into the blue chair and begin in I Timothy 6. You allow the washing of water by the Word of God to cleanse your mind of the fairytale you have fallen privy to and let the verses fall like water on dry, parched ground.

vs 6- "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

vs. 8- "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

vs. 11- "But thou, O man of God, FLEE THESE THINGS; and follow after RIGHTEOUSNESS, GODLINESS, FAITH, LOVE, PATIENCE, MEEKNESS."

vs. 12- "FIGHT the good fight of faith..."

THIS is real life.

THIS is a fight for godliness.

and it ain't for wimps.