Panic Mode

On Monday of last week I have to admit I was freaking out. You see, my husband and I are going to Florida in two months and we need someone to watch our kids. All of a sudden on Monday I started to panic. I needed to find six nights of childcare and for some reason, I needed to do it on that Monday.

Do you ever have days like that – days where something that really isn’t an emergency all of a sudden seems extremely important? That’s how it was for me last Monday. I was feeling a sense of urgency to find a temporary home for my kids and I worked myself up into panic mode.

I tried not to sound as desperate as I felt when I sent out an e-mail to a few friends. I was hoping that if each of them could take my kids for a night or two, then maybe things would work out.

Soon I got a phone call from a friend saying that my kids could stay with her family for the whole week. A couple of hours later I got an e-mail from another friend who had already arranged her work schedule and she also offered to take my kids for the entire week. At this point I was speechless (not a common thing for me)!

While I was still reeling from my friends’ very generous offers, I headed over to the school for parent orientation night. I saw another friend I had contacted earlier that day. She asked me if I had read my e-mails tonight. I told her I hadn’t. She said, “You may want to read them. I sent you one that details why our family should get to watch your kids for the whole week.”

Again, I was speechless and amazed. My first thought was, “God is so good.” I was overwhelmed by the knowledge that the God who created the universe cares about me so much that he found childcare for me. Now that’s a caring God!

As I sat through the orientation, I don’t remember hearing much about what the teacher said. (Sorry Mr. Tweten!) My heart was so full of love and thankfulness that I couldn’t focus very well on what was going on around me. I can’t remember a time where I felt so loved by my friends. I have some of the greatest friends in the world, and that evening I was reminded of that fact.

It’s funny how just that morning I was in panic/freak out mode. Then God, in His infinite love and mercy, decided to bless me – and not just bless me, but bless the socks off me! All I could do was stand in awe of Him and fall more deeply in love with Him.

Scripture: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Prayer: God, You fill my cup and not just to the top, but overflowing! Thank you for friends who lift me up and encourage me by their selfless actions. God, You bless me beyond measure.