not just a coincidence...

Do you ever have those times when you realize that something that happens is not just a coincidence?  I feel it often, but yesterday was one of those overwhelming moments that I knew that something bigger was going on.  The grandparents called to take us out to lunch, which is something that happens pretty often.  I don't always go because with as few options as we have in town, I get tired of eating out.  There are two places in town that I could probably eat at just about everyday.  One is the local Sandwich Shoppe and the other is Subway.  I obviously like sandwiches.  Since the grandparents suggested Subway, I was on board to go.  The boys were out of school for the beginning of their spring break, so it would be the whole family, and I always love those moments.  We pulled into Subway before the noon crowd hit and began to order our sandwiches.  Jerad and I stood in line as the door opened, and I turned to look.  I immediately recognized the man walking in from several months prior.  He wasn't a local man but a vagrant.


A little history on this...
Last year, either late summer or early fall, we saw the man in Subway.  Jerad and I had just sat down to eat with the boys when the man walked into the store.  He first sat down at a booth, taking a rest from the heat outside.  I saw him look up at the menu, then open up his velcro wallet and shake his head.  I knew there wasn't enough in his wallet to get him something to eat.  As he got up and walked to the restroom, I told Jerad that we needed to buy him lunch.  He tells me to go do it.  Of course, the problem is that I never carry cash, so I was depending upon him to provide the money for his lunch.  Jerad gave me what was in his pocket to buy him lunch.  The man had sat back down, and I asked if I could buy him lunch.  He was delighted, almost giddy.  He gladly took the money and made his way to the line for a footlong.  His entire demeanor changed, knowing that he was going to eat that day.  It changed me.  I left the restaurant and couldn't quit crying.  My heart ached for this man.  It made me realize how blessed I really am.  How little money Jerad and I may have had at times, we have never had to worry about whether or not we would eat or be able to feed our children that day.  Every time I tell the story, I still cry.


Back to present day...
This man walked in while we were in line.  I knew it wasn't just a coincidence that we were there at the exact same time that he walked in.  This time he had a duffel bag and a Bible.  I wondered about his journey.  Is he heading back through from months prior?  Has he been wondering for the past several months?  Part of me is relieved to see him, as I've been praying for him, not knowing if anyone has helped him through his journey.  I knew that he needed money to eat, and I have the same problem as before.  No cash on hand.  I looked at Jerad.  He knew what I was thinking, and he gave me a look that tells me no.  I persisted and got him to give me what little cash he had on hand to give to the man.  Yet, I felt so disappointed that I couldn't give him more.


This to me was no coincidence.  I put it in the category of a "Godcidence."  God puts us in the right place at the right time, whether we realize it or not.  We need to take advantage of the little things.  If you feel the urge to do something nice for someone, do it.  If you feel the urge to ask someone to church, do it.  Life is so much more than running from here to there and catching the latest episode of our favorite shows.  It is so important to listen to the still, small voice, and recognize that it's more than our conscience.  It's the voice of God.  I'm saying this to myself as much as anyone.  I often am talking too much and forget to listen.  That's my challenge for myself.  Listen to God's voice.

I never used to be...

I never used to be the person who had to clean up after my husband.  No, he was the one who had to clean up after me.  It's been this way almost our entire marriage until recently.  Something has changed.  Of course, for the first few years of our marriage, I worked non-stop, bringing in the majority of the paycheck while he finished school.  I'd like to say that's the reason he picked up after me, but I know it's not.  To be honest, he's just a clean freak, and I am not.  I'm one of those people who it doesn't get bothered by the house being a mess as long as I get to relax and spend time with my family.  Like I said, something has changed.  I'm not that person anymore.  I got a taste of uncluttered chaos...and I like it.

I never used to be the person to clean up the dishes immediately after dirtying them.  No, I was the person who let them sit in the sink for a couple of days because I didn't want to empty the clean dishes out of the dishwasher.

I never used to be the person who kept my sink clean.  I mean, really, really clean.  I don't even want to put dishes in it.  Rather than letting the dishes get to the sink, I rinse them off and put them directly into the dishwasher.  Then I wipe down my sink.  This is due to "shining my sink" as suggested on www.flylady.net.  What a difference this has made!  Now that my sink is clean and "shiny," my cabinets are clean, too.  I like it a lot.  I don't feel completely overwhelmed when I walk into my kitchen area.  Someone walked in my house and commented on how clean my kitchen was.  Are you kidding me?  That doesn't happen!  I normally have to apologize for it being such a mess and then they politely tell me  that I should see there house.  It's just as bad.  I know better.  It certainly can't be as bad as mine.

I never used to be the person who swept and mopped my floors.  Now, I'm not saying I never did it, but it certainly wasn't very often.  We only have a few floors to be swept and mopped in our house, but it's the kitchen that collects the most filth.  Of course, it's where everyone walks into the house, bringing in dirt and mud from outside.  Living on a farm, there's lots of that.  After our small fire, the grandparents came in and griped about how dirty our floor was.  They lived in this house for over thirty years so when something isn't up to par, they let us know about it, sometimes in a very public place.  I wasn't there for that conversation, but the hubby was, and he wasn't happy about it at all.  So I had to clean the floors.  I steam cleaned the floors, and it was a amazing.  Once they were that clean, I didn't want anyone dirtying them.  With two young boys and a husband, that's impossible.  My next best option is to sweep and mop often.  It's not so bad since I'm starting out with a clean slate from the steam cleaning.  I do long for the day that the 1970s linoleum complete with brown and cream design can disappear, so I'll actually enjoy the floor that I've worked so hard at cleaning, but I'll live happily until that day comes.

So, to sum this up, I've changed.  Something has clicked inside of me.  I enjoy a clean, uncluttered house.  I think more clearly.  I don't procrastinate as much.  I like it.  The unorganized, cluttered chaos in my house has got to go, and I'm working on it one room at a time.  Could it be that I could train myself to be a more organized person?  When my house is clean and everything in my house has a "home" instead of some random place we decide to place it, will I be more productive?  Can I train my family to follow the same system, or is it going to drive me crazy because they're dirtying up my cleanness?  I guess, only time will tell.  But as for now, I'll keep pushing toward a clean home.

the lost lost tooth...

Is that a misprint?  Did I accidentally type two losts in the title?  Nope.  It is not by accident.  Brickman lost his tooth...and then he lost it.  He has this thing about taking his lost teeth to school to show all of his friends during their sharing time in the morning.  Now, I understand doing it on the first one, but every subsequent tooth after that?  I really don't think it's necessary.  What is it that makes a tooth so cool after it's out of your mouth anyway?  I have no idea.  Apparently, someone thought it was cool, though.  Brickman showed all of his friends his lost tooth and also the new tooth keeper necklace that Nammie and Bumpa brought over the night before.  He put it in his backpack in his locker to bring back home for the tooth fairy.  When he got to the circle drive to come home, his tooth was no where to be found.  He ran back to his classroom and told his teacher that it was gone.  They looked everywhere but unfortunately couldn't find it.  I realize that losing your lost tooth isn't that big of a deal, but to a six year old who has only lost two teeth, it was.  He came home upset that the tooth fairy wasn't going to come after he told her to come back after he showed his class his tooth.  His teacher told us that she thought it wasn't a matter of him losing his tooth.  It was a matter of one of his friends helping themselves to the tooth and the cool new necklace.  Poor kiddo learned his lesson.  Despite us telling him not to take it, he did it anyway, and since then we've found out that it is not necessary (which we already knew) but he insisted that it was.  Who knew that a tooth could cause so much drama?

I don't think there could be...

I don't think there could be anyone who makes a bigger deal about pulling a tooth that's barely hanging on than my six year old.  Seriously, my sister living hours away might have heard his girly scream.

I don't think there could be anything more adorable than the note he had me write to the tooth fairy.  For some reason, it's cool to show off your teeth once they've left your mouth.

I don't think there could be a laundry pile that's as big as mine is right now.  I'm quite ashamed of it, actually, but I just don't want to face it.

I don't think there could be anyone as obsessed with chickens as my husband is right now.  He just finished building a second scratch yard.  I guess we'll see how many he continues to build.  I'm starting to think that this isn't just a phase but more of a lifestyle.  At least the boys enjoy it.

I don't think I can wait until the end of June (okay, maybe I can but I'm certainly anxious!) to see the next installment of the Twilight saga.  I just saw the poster on the "Coming Soon" billboard at our local theater.

I don't think anyone can be as excited as I am about my niece winning a pageant and participating in the state pageant in June.  Okay, maybe she can and her mama can but I'm right up there at the top.  (I know.  She's beautiful!)

I don't think that I could be procrastinating any more than I am right now.  Get up and do something!  That's a note to me...not to you, but if you're procrastinating, too, then maybe you should listen to the message, too.  :)