It's a typical Saturday.
Except it isn't.
You packed way too much in.
You aren't willing to let any of it go.
Sleep deprived.
Distracted.
Your middle daughter has her Christmas production at school.
Right in the middle of naptime.
Your husband is at church for the day.
You wake them up.
It is not easy.
Or pretty.
They are grumpy.
Tired.
You are grumpier.
Even more tired.
Rushing.
But in your world rushing is the gateway to panic.
You feel it coming. You don't stop it.
Suddenly your children are living in the middle of a bad Lifetime movie.
With the crazy panic attack mom.
You shut yourself in the pantry to get it together.
Three little ones are in the kitchen crying.
You come out, sit down with them and ask them to pray.
Jesus comes to rescue all of you.
Peace.
Pile into the van.
Drive.
Realize that you have no camera.
Because your camera bit the dust last week.
You don't have a plan b.
Breathe.
Rush to school.
They are waiting.
Of course her class is the first one up.
She sings.
Sweetly.
Silly.
Brilliantly.
You cry.
The things that you did that day do not matter.
Your little girl matters.
Singing songs about baby Jesus.
If only you had a camera to capture this day.
Little do you know that there is another mom in the room.Who's son is standing right next to your daughter.
Who is an amazing photographer.
A beautiful blogger.
But you are too shy and nerdy to talk to the other moms at drop off and pick up. You took the "don't talk to strangers" lesson a bit too seriously as a kid.
A few days later you get an email.
She writes:
I thought I'd pass this along to you...I thought Lucy looked cute in this pic...
Just like that.
Exactly what you needed.
Better than you could have hoped.
Thanks Linn.
God used you in ways that you will never know.
I relate to this post on SO MANY levels... once again, I'm glad I'm not the only one to 1)lose it 2) be shy and nerdy 3)over-commit 4)cry at my kids' programs 5)ask my kids to pray with me...
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that? It's so awesome the little things we can do for someone else that can make their day. What a great gesture and a beautiful picture!
ReplyDeletePS Lulu looks so cute!
PPS I'm disappointed that you did not sew her a squirrel Christmas dress.
She is too, too cute in this picture!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. . . your words were perfect for me to read. In the last 6 months I've had way to many of these moments and it touched me to read your thoughts. THANKS, i enjoy your blog.
ReplyDelete*sigh* Thank you for sharing this. It brought tears to my eyes. Great picture & LuLu looks SO cute!
ReplyDeleteI've had those moments, too. Thank God for random acts of kindness!
ReplyDeleteHow awesome!!! She's adorable :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a warm fuzzy! Love that pic!
ReplyDeleteAw...you are so sweet! Now I wish I had more photos to give you...but sometimes it's just that one picture that makes the difference, I guess.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You shouldn't be so shy at drop off...on day one when I saw Lucy's adorable handmade Amy Butler fabric outfit I immediately thought, "I need to be friends with that girl's mom!" No joke. I even told my husband about it. Amazing how God works in and among his children.
This is awesome.
ReplyDeleteI SO relate. the crying kid. the praying for help, the panic attacks, the awesome and unexpected way that God provides for me (and us) is so stinkin' amazing.
love your guts, julie! thank you for this. :)
Yep... been there... here's just hoping we all remember to pray (and then breathe!) Beautiful picture!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally shy and nerdy!
ReplyDeleteI'm THAT mom at the playground who seems like she's too good to talk to the other moms, but really is a chicken :)
i have such a hard time talking to the other moms too! why?
ReplyDeletewhat is that about?
thank God for Linn. :)
ps...it was a fortune to ship my box priority...so i didn't. but i am confident it will make it.
julie...i wish i could give you a BIG hug. right now.
I have a warm feeling in my heart that there is someone who goes through days like that too! Glad you had a blogger that snapped a picture!
ReplyDeleteawwww! :)
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love when God sends you a little "wink"??...and LuLu did look adorable...and I'm that "same mom" too! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your sweet heart!
Blessings!
Jill
How awesome is this story? It's nice to remember to do that little thing we are prompted to do, even if it doesn't seem like a big deal.
ReplyDeleteAwww..thats a fun little story! :O)
ReplyDeleteI rarely have my camera with me. Or even if I have it with me, I'm busy corralling younger siblings and can't really take pictures anyway. They remember that you are there and that is enough. :)
ReplyDeleteaw and i love your post - and I'm sure you're not nerdy -- plus people like nerds because we're all secretly nerds too!
ReplyDeleteI too could relate too this post a little too much. I am glad that you were able to be blessed with a picture afterall. Isn't it amazing how the Lord can bless us? And all we have to do is ask. Your little girl looked darling too.
ReplyDeleteawww! And she DOES look adorable too by the way!
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!
ReplyDeleteawesome!
ReplyDeleteit is me, you know, in case I post under my Creative Witness Protection number.
This is so ironic - because I *just* got back from watching the elementary Christmas program at the school where I'm the kindergarten aide. Like - literally, I just walked through the door...and, yes, I went straight to your blog! LOL :) Love ya!
ReplyDeleteI can relate, although I don't have kids yet. I can get so stressed, and life can seem so disheveled (like that word? LOL - I thought I'd throw that in there!), but it does seem that in these moments of craziness - God has His way of bringing me back to what's truly important.
Tonight, as I was lining the kids in my kindergarten class up to go on stage - I reminded them to smile and sing pretty for there mommies and daddies and Jesus too. One little boy then told me, "Yeah, that's right because Jesus is ALWAYS are audience"! I pretty much just melted right there.
I am so grateful that I am able to work in a Christian school and that I was able to attend Christian school myself. Each day, I am so touched by the love and joy the children have for Jesus - their faith is so strong!
Oh, I have soooooo been there!
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm kind of going nuts without a digital camera! Mine gave out about a month ago. So any photos on my blog are from a few months/years ago. Good thing I have quite the collection of photos.
Getting a new camera hopefully this weekend or at the latest next week...I want one before Christmas!
It's a great reminder to me that a prayer to Jesus is all we need, especially in situation like this. Thanks for sharing this post.
ReplyDeleteoh how awesome!!!!
ReplyDeletesuch a good story! I can so relate too! To all of it! I am not sure where I have found your blog, but it is really good! Thanks for being you!
ReplyDeleteKaren
wow, i think you may be my sister... i took the don't talk to strangers thing too seriously as well.
ReplyDeleteamy