What a day...

This was just one of those days! Yesterday an ice storm came through, canceling schools. Today the schools were delayed for 2 hours. Most kids LOVE to have a delayed start to their day. Not Kyle. This just adds so much anxiety to his life. In fact, he seldom even makes it to school on days when there's a delay (he ended up staying home all day today). The whole timing thing just throws him for a loop. His anxiety comes out in agitation, following me around, pacing, arguing about why the schools should just CANCEL for the whole day, etc. I try my best to not argue with him since that just adds to the anxiety and anger. But after awhile...gggggrrrrr.

Then, I lost my front tooth while eating a piece of toast. Yep. It came completely out. YIKES. I've been dinking around with that tooth for awhile now. It's going to be completely replaced in a few months. But in the meantime, it's bonded in place. But the bond obviously isn't permanent. Actually, it came out yesterday, too, and I had it re-bonded. That bond lasted less than 24 hours. Not a good thing :( To make matters worse, I had to lead a Bible study this morning (a new group, too yet!) Thankfully I could put the tooth back in, and then hold it in place with my aligner. The only problem is that the aligner makes me lisp. I thought I sounded like a teenager with a new tongue piercing. Great. Anyway, I explained to the group why I was talking like I was, and they were all very understanding!

But all this got me thinking about why I automatically moan "what a bad day" when things don't go like I want them to. Several months ago I heard someone say that a great way to start the day is by saying Romans 12:1-2 as a prayer. I loved that! What a neat idea. So I try to begin each day by saying something like this...

"Precious Father, today I offer myself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to You - as my spiritual act of worship. I will no longer conform to the pattern of this world, but will instead be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Then I will be able to test and approve what Your will is - Your good, pleasing, and perfect will."

So this morning I offered myself as a sacrifice to God. Yet 30 minutes later I'm sucked into an argument with Kyle about why he WILL go to school. An hour later I'm groaning about the huge gap in mouth and just wishing I could stay home and skip Bible study. (Somehow I doubt that the aroma of my sacrifice was very sweet-smelling at this point). I lost sight of the fact that God wanted my heart and my will to be offered to Him (and not just some nice-sounding words). He reminded me that transformation isn't always so pleasant. In fact, it's often painful and may even cause me some embarrassment from time to time. A sacrifice, by it's very nature, connotes images of fire, blood, pain -- dying. A sacrifice is a dying to something. Today I sensed God asking me to take a close look at my attitude. Was I imitating God? Was I honestly seeking His "good, pleasing, and perfect will"? God longed for me to ask Him to fill me with His Spirit, to take on His nature, to go into my day relying on His strength.

In the course of this day, God's given me several opportunities to "try it again" (and I can't say I've really enjoyed any of the lessons...I'm such a work in progress!) But I am SO glad that God is PATIENT with me!