What A DaY!

What a Day!

Good morning Daddy!

WOW, what is this? My baby, a second grader, is up and dressed, early (she loves her warm bed in the morning). My wife and I had been victorious the night before and somehow managed to get her into bed early. Victory is so sweet!

Here she comes, the fifth grader! She is always the first one up, dressed and ready to go! And shortly there-after, the rest fell in as well, without incident, harmony reigning.

We fixed lunches, had breakfast and then headed out for the 6:50 a.m. bus. We made it before the bus arrived, which is not always the case, and off they went. I was so full of gratitude and awe at how amazing they are, thanking God for the opportunity to parent these wonderful people.

I had a day full of activity in front of me. Errands to run, healing practice, computer training-new systems, installs, upgrades, new equipment (completely lost), pick up the kids after school, (flying solo, my wife had to work), two basketball games at the same time and a Brownie party (Dad’s were requested), phone store to return and purchase new phones for my wife and children, dinner for the kids, help children complete homework , drive home, bed by 8:3o p.m. (that wouldn’t happen ), and get ready for tomorrow to start another fun filled day!

Everything was on schedule and on track. I was moving from place-to-place, event-to-event, picked up the kids on time, made the Brownie party on time (I was greeted with cheers and giggles curbside; ate cookies, sang songs and danced with my second grade daughter), watched the first half of the middle-schooler's basket ball game then sprinted to the high school to catch the senior’s dance routine at her POM’s performance then back to finish the middle-schooler’s game. By that time we had exhausted all the snacks, and were ready for dinner.

So, off to the mall for the food court and phone store. On the ride over we all agreed on a dinner plan, within the budget, to feed everyone (except for me, I had to go to the phone store without dinner & would do what all good Dad’s learn to do, eat the cold left-over’s!). Whoohoo!

My oldest daughter, the senior, an experienced camp counselor, baby sitter, Co-Capitan of POM squad, four year varsity lettered athlete, and good student, was joyfully helping Dad and in charge of the dinner party.

All good and I am in the home stretch. All I had to do was walk over to the phone store pick up a couple of new phones and then home.

While at the phone store I needed to ask my middle-school son a phone related question so I called him. No answer. So, I called the senior, no answer. I waited a minute and called them both back, again, no answer. (What good are the darn phones if I can’t get a hold of the people whose phones I’m spending all my time trying to upgrade?)

So, Mr. Logic (human opinion, self-will)stepped in and suggested that I just run back and ask them, (literally within shouting distance).

I could not find them! No where! Vanished! Poof!

Then the heat started rising. Fatigue started to rear its ugly head, hunger started screaming and Mr. Logic stepped in to chat (not good when he shows up, but somehow he always tries to make me think he has the answers). Whew!

Mr. Logic suggested, “They must be in the bathroom.” So, off I went. Nope, not there! “Ok, you must have missed them in your haste walking from the phone store.”

Off I went again, back tracked to the phone store. Nope, not there!

In a few short minutes, after a highly successful day, aggravation, impatience, and anger attempted to turn everything upside down. Thank you, Mr. Logic!

I had some choices to make. Being that I am in the full time healing ministry the thought did cross my mind that maybe I should stop for a minute, instead of racing around, and listen for God’s guidance.

So, Mr. Logic, having failed miserably thus far, suggested that I negotiate with God. That I discuss this predicament while I walk real fast the way he had suggested and listen for God’s guidance!

I did not here the answer from God as I was off and running like Mr. Logic had suggested.

Needless to say, I did not find them in the direction I went.

Then fortunately, the little angel message from God came again, quietly, “Why don’t you go this way and look over there?” As I was hurrying around and being lead by Mr. Logic I suggested to God, “let me look over here one more time.” Of course, it was still not the right place.

By this time frustration, anger, consternation, and anxiety, had begun screaming at me to listen to them, not the quiet little angel voice. Thank you, Mr. Logic.

Thankfully, I had been praying dutifully and successfully all day up until that point and fortunately that work paid off. I finally listened to that “still small voice” and paid attention this time.

I’ll be honest, anger, frustration, self-will, and criticism were still trying everything they could to influence my behavior but I keep on going where the angel voice was directing me. I’m sure I was a sight but I was truly battling and working to stay true to my purpose and complete the tasks.

Prayer really is a powerful thing when you turn to God, Divine Love. I had found some inspiration earlier in my day while praying. It was a quotation from Mary Baker Eddy, in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, on page 307:25, “The divine Mind is the Soul of man, and gives man dominion over all things. Man was not created from a material basis, nor bidden to obey material laws which Spirit never made; his province is in spiritual statutes, in the higher law of Mind.”

Let me tell you, I had no idea at the time how those wonderful words of healing would help me overcome the calls from the devil to arrest my consciousness and ruin my day, more importantly my children’s day.

So, I called on the “divine Mind” to beat back the devilish thinking and heard loudly and clearly God’s directive to stop, wait and watch. Mr. Logic came back and questioned, “right here?”

“YES,” was the answer.

“OK, but this is the opposite direction from where we were and I’m on a different level than the phone store” (Mr. Logic).

God’s message was clear, “Just do it and SHUT UP!”

I got quiet and still. I demonstrated “the Soul of man” and God gave me dominion right then.

Not long after I stopped, I looked up and there they were, walking from the other end of the mall (the opposite direction of Mr. Logic’s suggestions).

My oldest daughter, the Camp Counselor walking toward me with a huge smile chatting merrily with my youngest daughter who was gaming and hopping from tile to tile on tip toes, counting and giggling as she practiced her most recent ballet moves with the music dancing in her head, (I know because when I am happiest I clearly hear my music and am too dancing).

My youngest son, a third grader, was busy in his sport of sports, envisioning a touch-down pass, a huge hit, or a swift move to evade an unseen defender.

The fifth grader was happily strolling along taking in the sights as though she had never been there before.

“And along came Jones, slow walking Jones, slow talking Jones,” my 7th grade young lad moving kind of slowly, but in step. He had had a rough basketball game (his team lost and he took a shot in the jaw).

What an amazing sight! And as I write this, I can’t see the screen anymore because my eyes are full of tears of joy and gratitude for these wonderful people in my life! WOW! The amount of energy, good will, hope, charity, kindness, love fills me to the brim.

They had not seen me yet, thank goodness, and as I walked toward them, all of the angst and frustration just eased away. As I took each step toward them, the angles, “God’s thoughts passing to man” were quietly making their case. (Definition of Angels in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 581:4)

Did you see those smiles? They are perfectly fine. Did you see their body language? It was joyful and happy! What grace and poise. See the harmony, the kindness, the friendship and gratitude being expressed.

No kidding, plain as day, those messages streaming in from the Angels.

But, Mr. Logic wanted to know, “What on earth possessed them to end up at the other end of the mall? Why are they having such a good time when you were searching all over the dad-gum mall?” He wanted to give them a piece of his mind, but, he lost.

LOVE WON!

For my reasonableness I was rewarded with some good ol’ cold chicken pieces that I dipped into coleslaw and I was also offered some cold fries by the group as well.

We quickly finished up at the mall and headed home.

When we got home, I warmed up the rest of my chicken pieces, dipped them into the remaining coleslaw, help put the kids to bed, (made the basketball player take a shower right as he was sliding into bed, Yuk! Whew he was not happy about that but he faithfully executed the order) and took my dogs for a walk.

As the eventful day came to a close, I crawled into bed. My wife was already snuggled in for the night and guess who showed up for one last push? You know it, Mr. Logic.

He wanted me to tell her what a tough day I had had and how I had managed to accomplish so much. She reached up and kissed me goodnight, lovingly, thankfully, but without the slightest urge to ask me to tell her more.

So, Mr. Logic wanted me to give her, a more detailed run down, so as to get a sure “at-a-boy.” Nothing, she just peacefully slipped off into a restful slumber. All I got was, “Yes dear, I’ve done it, and isn’t it wonderful to share that experience with your children. “

And guess what? After that little nugget I actually realized that Mr. Logic was baiting me again to accept that he was right all the while and that I should accept that material laws of selfishness, fatigue, exhaustion, aggravation, pity, ignorance, arrogance, human will, unhappiness were in control of my life and that I was under their influence.

I fought back and shut the door on Mr. Logic for the night. The spiritual inspiration regarding “material laws Spirit never made,” resonated with me again and I choose to take my loving wife’s suggestion; I decided to cherish the day with my children and I filled my consciousness with Spirit’s divine laws; gratitude, love, peace, harmony, joy, happiness, health, unselfishness and selflessness.

What A DaY!