Just An Ordinary Day

My strategy this week is to live in the moment.  This is good advice for any time, but when life bears down with uncertainty and fear, it seems like that there is really no other alternative. . . other than staying in bed and never leaving my room, which doesn't work well with 5 kids!!  So this morning I woke up with a desire to see the good in an ordinary day.  Sometimes I take ordinary for granted.  I don't have any family members dying, we aren't facing bankruptcy, we aren't fighting chronic illness and we haven't had any major appliances break recently.  So here is my ordinary day and the little things I was blessed to experience. . .

I was able to work out for an hour at the Y -- a privilege, because last month, just as our membership was being cancelled, some unnamed saint paid for us to have 3 more months!  Suddenly, my morning exercise has become more of a "get to" rather than a "have to."  I got to take my oldest daughter out for coffee before dropping her at school.  It is no small thing to have a teenage daughter who still seems to like doing things with me and who TALKS to me.  I am grateful!  I came home to Caleb and Joshua sitting at the table, already doing school!!  I guess that's more on the miraculous scale, than ordinary.  Again, I'm grateful!  Graciela, age 5, is learning to read and that is always such a thrill to experience when you are homeschooling.  Caleb had coupons to Chick Fila, so we had a rare lunch out!  Saw a friend and her two boys, recently adopted from Uganda.  It is nothing short of miraculous when God takes children from one part of the world and plants them in a family halfway around the globe!  After lunch, went grocery shopping with 3 kids AND coupons. . . .typically a set up for insanity and stress.  Made it through without yelling!!  Came home, read some of Exodus with the boys and was very encouraged that a great man like Moses struggled mightily with fear!  Opened the mail and received a Visa card for $100 from a dear, generous friend. . . which made me cry and realize again how much I struggle to receive grace!  Picked up Evan from high school.  Came home and took the dog for a walk with Graciela riding her bike.  Ended up hanging out in a neighbor's backyard with a host of kids.  I love our neighborhood!!  Friends at the front door still seems like such a new and novel thing.  I don't take it for granted.  Tonight, I'm thankful for taco salads, a wonderful husband, spring coming. . . and American Idol on t.v. again!!