That being said, The Hubs and I started waking up early for "speed dating" sessions. Let's be real. We have five kids. Unless we talk in fast forward for five minutes BEFORE anyone gets up, it's a moot point. We will not be able to get a word in edgewise. The Pixie walked down about 3 minutes into our speed date. Date over. There's no stopping the girl when she decides it's time to eat.
Our kids had a delayed start because...drumroll please...it's COLD. It's like music to a mom's ears...getting that "two hour delay" phone call. While you're kids are jumping around in slow mo throwing confetti and calling the marching band in for the party, you're huddling in the corner wondering if your God still loves you (He does. He ALWAYS will, but let's keep it real...those calls are NOT good news). Update: I now have confirmation that TOMORROW will ALSO be a two hour delay. My bag of tricks is empty. I give up.
My oldest is on sick day #2...adding to my disdain of the day. We had to go to the plague factory, aka. the doctor's office, to get another illness. I mean, to get meds. We hit up Starbucks, where they STILL have not figured out how to cater to anyone who eats healthy. Tate the Great had a donut and hot chocolate. Me? Peppermint tea.
We picked up Tate's meds, and I had to run up to Charlotte to pick up my juice order from Luna's Living Kitchen...my vegan oasis for the next 40 days. When I got there, I realized I hadn't eaten all day and will therefore be hosed later today and tomorrow. You can only get so many calories from fruits and veggies, friends. I ordered some salad comprised of spinach, tomatoes, carrots and...dum, dum, dum...beets. I'm still not a beet fan, although they DO add some natural lipstick effects to your day. Come to think of it...I'm pretty sure that salad was supposed to have nuts. It was eleven bucks. I didn't get nuts. A girl needs protein.
I went to the yoga studio I teach at after that to get my Ashtanga practice in. In Ashtanga, you practice to your own breath, but after the morning of shepherding cats, I decided to pump the Christian playlist I have for my Holy Yoga classes during my practice. My teacher wasn't there, so he couldn't make me stick to the tradition today. MUAH-ha-ha! !) It was a very beautiful and worshipful practice...by myself...sunlight streaming in! Just me and Jesus.
I got home, drank up one of my juices, ate a huge spoonful of peanut butter and two apples and created a new playlist for my Holy Yoga class tonight, which will focus on the GREATNESS of our GOD! How Great Thou Art, Lord! How GREAT THOU ART!
That leads me to my favorite hidden gem of a story in the Old Testament. I don't know why this story hits me like it does, but here goes: Joshua has just been anointed as leader over the Israelites by Moses. The Promise that Joshua had received was two-fold: 1~That God was going to give the land over to the Israelites. 2~That God would be with Joshua. I don't know about you, but I would have had 2 million and two questions to follow up. God is TOTALLY in the details, but WE are not usually privy to them. This brings us to the confusion at the end of Joshua Chapter 5.
Joshua 5: 13~ "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'"
See, Joshua could walk straight up to this man with the sword already drawn just to check as to what "team" he was on because he KNEW that God would be with him either way...whether this man was on his team, or the other guys' team. Can we face the fear with confidence like Joshua? Can we walk into the unknown without our sword drawn to ask the questions? What does that look like in our own lives?
Joshua 5: 14 (this is where it gets good...this is my favorite part)~"'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.' Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?'"
NEITHER? WHAT? I don't get it. I'm not sure I ever will, but I LOVE that God sent NOT A SOLDIER...the COMMANDER of the army of the Lord to deliver His message! And...that commander was on NEITHER team?! But hear the reminder the Lord was giving Josh: "I have NOW COME" (ie. I AM WITH YOU...RIGHT HERE...SWORD DRAWN...READY TO WHOOP UP!) God is ALWAYS *FOR* us! He is ALWAYS *WITH* us! He is ALWAYS ready for battle! His ways are always superior to OUR WAYS! The "neither" part? Maybe it's because he is ALSO for the lost. The Lord knew the cost of Joshua's success would mean loss of life for the "other team." That's no victory, friends. It's a painful loss. That is how much our God loves us...even though there will be GREAT LOSS, OUR gain is His very great reward to us. Mercy.
Oh, How GREAT Thou Art, Lord Jesus! Your plans were marked out BEFORE TIME BEGAN! What YOU begin, You FINISH! In the end, my God, YOU claim victory! You HAVE CLAIMED victory! You WILL CLAIM victory! You already have! You stand before me with sword drawn! I stand behind you with my shield of faith. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6: 12! AMEN?!
This is exactly why Joshua's visitor then told him, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." Joshua 5: 15. Holy ground...a place where the LORD does the work. A supernatural place where supernatural things take place...a place where we stand before our God in faith that what He promised WILL come to pass...holy ground.
I have no idea what I'm eating for dinner.
It doesn't matter anyway. It's not about the food.
And, I guess it wasn't a no good, very bad, terrible day after all...
...because He is ALWAYS good. His plans ALWAYS prevail.
And, He ALWAYS stands ready to fight for me...sword drawn.
Grace and Peace~
Kelly
Awesome!
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