What Are Your Simple Miracles?

I should be writing. That's what I've been telling myself all week. I had two writing assignments due yesterday. One of them was for Super Bowl party ideas, which should have been written a week ago, so that those looking for the ideas would have more than two days to look online and pull mine off; thus giving me more page views; thus essentially giving me more writing assignments at a later date. I'm praying for Super Bowl Party procrastinators!

Instead, I found myself on POGO playing Battleship, and the Game Show network playing Suds, which is my new favorite word game. I read two Karen Kingsbury books that I'd been wanting to read for more than a month. I sent silly e-mails to friends with waving pigs, Maxine cartoons and a man with a parachute preparing to land in a body of water with dozens of crocodiles lounging in the sun on it's banks (You think you're having a bad day?). I chatted on facebook with my cousin Nevada, my aunt in Texas, my brother in law in China, and my friend in Peru. I downloaded grocery store coupons, ordered free samples of laundry detergent, coffee creamer, cereal, shampoo and even a sippee cup for when the little ones are here. I listened to hours of music from my eclectic blend of songs from the Irish brogue of Celtic Thunder, to the Southern twang of Kellie Pickler and Carrie Underwood From the drums and bass guitar sounds of Chris Daughtry and Styx to the Praise and Worship of Kari Jobe and Michael W. Smith: depending on my mood of the moment, and sometimes with all of them on my playlist at one time.

Several times, I'd be walking through the house, folding laundry or at one point even brushing my teeth when an idea would hit me, either for one of the articles or a devotion. But by the time I could put down what I was doing and get to the computer, it would be gone. Or I'd write one sentence and then stare it for 10 minutes. I logged onto the Internet Devotion Café and talked to some of the other writers, and learned I was not alone. "You simply have writer's block." one said. "It happens to all of us." and "You're trying too hard." were also offered.

Then this morning, as I was searching for a verse to send to a friend, I came across Philippians 4:11 - "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content"

I thought about my current state of mind, and all the changes that we've gone through as a family: My health issues, Mike's job situation, my struggles with letting the kids spread their wings, having to withdraw from school ...well I could go on forever but you get the idea. And suddenly, like hitting that proverbial brick wall, I realized that God has done a huge work in my life. Despite my lack of finished writing projects, despite the tears of frustration and pain that I've shed in the past few weeks, and despite the open doors that I'm scared to death to walk through one thing has changed: I've become content in the knowledge that even when my life seems to be in chaos, God still has a plan and He's still in control.

I thought back to all those activities of last week. What I had once considered time wasted, I could now look at each one and see His hand in every situation.

What started as idle chat while playing Battleship, turned into a budding friendship, with a woman from Indiana who is also battling with growing older, her children leaving the nest and her own feelings of inadequacy as a pastor's wife.

The Karen Kingsbury novels dealt with families pulling together when times got tough, learning to love each other deeper and stronger than ever before, and learning to lean on God when it seemed there was no way out of their situations.

The grinning pig waving Hello went to a friend who "just happened" to be having a horrible morning at work. The silliness made her laugh until tears poured down her cheeks...and she said the afternoon was completely different, because her mood was different.

Groceries that were bought using the coupons will be used to fix meals to share with the girls while they're home from school this weekend, dinners that will give us an opportunity to just spend time together. And I'm looking forward to a visit from Tyra and seeing her son Zane run through my house with juice in the new cup.

My Facebook conversations were quite often with friends and family that I don't talk to on a daily basis. Catching up was not only fun, but in one case resulted in getting contact information for a mutual friend that I hadn't seen in more than 20 years which led to more than an hour talking to her online, and then on the phone!

God even used my strange taste in music to prove His point in a song from Country artist Emerson Drive: "Simple Miracles".

Sometimes in the madness I tend to forget
And I take your love for granted when I should
Hold you close instead
But let me say right now so there is no doubt
All the things you are to me
And as time goes by the more that I find
That my life is in much bigger hands than mine

Life is full of Simple Miracles! We just have to slow down long enough to find them...even in the chaos!