Hot Cocoa Catastrophe

I had this great word from God I wanted to share with you about how God searches our hearts and how that’s a good thing……but life happened.

As you all know, I’m in the midst of two seasons of life, parenting and grandparenting. Well, today I am home with my youngest son and granddaughter, who is out of daycare due to having to wear an orthopedic boot for a torn ligament.

Since the kids were doing what they do best, fighting, and by mid-morning I was already tired of trying to figure out if E really hit C and C really said that hateful thing to E, I did the most logical thing an adult can do in such a situation. I helped them make the biggest, most amazing fort I could. It made perfect sense. They were happy. They were now getting along, busy decorating the inside and setting up their respective living quarters. All was good.

Later in the day, I put in the awesome ear buds my oldest son gave me for my birthday, turned on my “relaxing music” playlist, and spent some sweet time with the Lord. The Word was so good that I decided I needed to share it with you! So, I got up to get the laptop and made a cup of coffee. That’s when E came into the kitchen upset that C would not play with her because he was playing video games with his friends.

Once again, I had the perfect solution. I offered her a cup of hot cocoa! Because chocolate fixes everything. She excitedly accepted, so we set to work making the perfect cup of chocolate (in my favorite pink Disney cup she always insists on using), complete with whipped cream, marshmallows piled high, and red sugar sprinkles on top. Because a girl’s got to have her sprinkles. And since we were out of mini marshmallows we were forced to use the big ones. So, it was piled really high! When C heard what we were doing he came out to make a cup also. All was well……until it wasn’t. As I walked away to pick up the laptop E started crying. I turned around to see a large puddle of cocoa all over the floor, cabinets, E’s boot, everywhere.

I took a breath. C got a towel. I reassured her it’s ok, that we can make another cup. Yes, we have more marshmallows. Yes, we can still use the pink Disney cup. Yes, there’s just enough whipped cream for one more cup.

Cocoa soaked up into the towel, boot and cabinets wiped down, marshmallows picked up, sprinkles eaten up by dog (because you know we must accept help wherever it’s offered), we are now ready to try again. New cocoa is made in the pink cup.  Now I can re-mop the floor (did I mention I just mopped yesterday?). Dryer is turned back on because I just remembered the clothes that are still in it waiting to come out and be folded.  

All is well again……..until I sit down to attempt, once again, to type out the Word from the Lord that had made me feel so good 20 minutes earlier. I can’t think through it. So, I will revisit that quiet time and share it with you later. Head’s up, it was really good!!

And now, while I’m typing this out, the dog has tried to walk on top of the fort, caving it in. E immediately cried “oh no!!”, holding her head in her hands to mourn the downfall of their castle. C began laughing loudly and got right to work fixing it. It is now restored to its former glory, and E is standing on the couch with her arms out singing “I believe I can fly”. Now that I think about it I may need to stop to make sure she is not actually going to try to fly. Her mother attempted that when she was just a year older than she is now and can attest to the fact that little girls cannot, in fact, fly…..

Crisis averted; no additional boot needed. I am tired.

Have you ever tried so hard to spend time with the Father just to realize at the end of the day either it never happened or life threw so much chaos at you that it distracted you from the closeness and wisdom you had just gleaned from the Lord?

We are not promised easy. Every season seems to have its own level of chaos or distraction. Sometimes, the best we can do is to make lemonade from the lemons thrown at us. Redeem the time. Make the best of the situation and trust God to do something good with it. We can trust Him to do that because that’s exactly what He promises to do. He tells us to walk as wise ones, “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16, KJV). Some other versions say “making the most of the time” or “of every opportunity.” Then the Father promises He will work all things for our good (Romans 8:28). I am so thankful for that promise.

On some days it may be something as minor as spilled cocoa. On other days it might be something much more discouraging. Our initial reaction may be to cry, throw a tantrum, or proclaiming to everyone around us that we are done! But when the dust settles and we have calmed down we are more able to see where God is stepping into the situation and redeeming the time for us, already working something good out of the situation.

He may decide to use it as a teachable moment to grow us to look more like Him. He may use it to give us an opportunity to draw closer to a loved one (or someone we don’t particularly like, a harder pill to swallow) like I felt when I hugged E after the great cocoa spill or when I helped the kiddos build that amazing fort. It may be a good worked out for someone else and not about us at all. Whatever it is, we can have peace in knowing that our loving, gracious Father will do what He promises He will do. He is a good, good Father. And because of His goodness I will survive this day.

Y’all say a prayer for me that this evening presents no catastrophes of its own. God bless and stay sane!

In His hands (thankfully!),

Amy