Life has a way of humbling you. It seems like as soon as you have a plan for the way you want your life to go, here comes a great big socket wrench right at your face. So you revise, and find a new path. You might even get to continue that way for awhile, but sooner or later you hit a pothole and you veer offtrack again. Except it’s only offtrack in your mind, God had decided long before how things were going to go for you. It’s just hard to swallow sometimes.

I know a girl who was destined to do great things. She was going into the military. She was hoping to work in Intelligence. And she could have. But she changed her mind during aptitude tests. The Army wanted her, but being a Sagittarius, her mind was made up and that was that. She was going out of state to school to major in communications. She was a big communicator.

But her best laid plans were shot again. Back home and pregnant, she worked a series of jobs that weren’t designed to be career-building, but they paid the bills. And at one, she met her husband. New plans. More children. And now: a house in the midst of cornfields, a gym membership, and a cabinet full of wine, we find our hopeful CIA agent. Her eyes are the same, even if her hair is not. Her parents, already old when we were young, are even older now, and unable to care for themselves. They are dependent on her and her husband for a place to live and more than anything, someone to drive them everywhere they need to go.

That’s a lot of people in one moderately sized house. And dogs. That’s a lot of headache and schedules and food to prepare. That’s a lot of time allocated to being present for all these people she loves. It’s hard to find time to center yourself.

I’ve been warned never to pray for patience, for the Lord will send you trials to practice patience. This is tricky. Lord, I pray that my friend find peace and an open heart. I pray that her family tries to be the best they can be and not press her buttons. I pray they each understand another’s needs and communicate effectively before little problems blossom into big ones. I pray for understanding on all fronts. I pray for encouragement for all of them, whatever their challenges are day to day. I am thankful you that you have blessed this family with a house that can hold them all and a lucrative career that keeps them afloat. I am thankful they are healthy and able to run and shout and jump and play. I’m thankful they live in a safe area and that they know You. I pray she puts You first, above all others, trusting that things will work out if she can get out of Your way. I pray for this family to remain strong, and see it through, and their eyes not be led astray by provocative choices. Let the children grow up knowing they can always come home, and keep them off the paths of deceit and drugs. May we never betray the trust of family. Let your love shine on them so they can pass it along to those in need. Keep our eyes on you, Lord, and the path you have designed for us to follow. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

She has tasked me with not saying no. I say no a lot. Here all this time I thought it was a virtue. I’m told people take classes to learn how to say no. It slips off my tongue as easy as a turtle on a slimy log. Had she left it up to me, I would have fasted selfies, because she’s fan of them 🙂 But she’s like, “Just the word no….see how that goes.” I can tell you how I see it going: a giant cluster. It even gave Beth pause, and she is ever the optimist. So I’ve been practicing alternate responses. For example, if someone calls and asks me if I’ll be here Sunday, I can say, “We’re here Monday through Friday, 8-4:30.” If someone asks if I can make a snake cake, I’m gonna tell them I can make caterpillar cupcakes. The art of evasion. I won’t say no. {Also, I’m not posting this till tomorrow so y’all can’t trap me. Y’all would have me agreeing to all.sorts of funky plans}

12:18 So far, so good. I have very little interaction with people for the most part, and other than the engineer and the IT guy, I’ve not seen anyone. I called in my lunch so as to play it safe from “lunch special” suggestions.

9:45 I have officially made it, as it is now time for bed. I had to work my way around “no” twice at Fun City, but I don’t think they are none the wiser to my wily ways.

So, all in all, it wasn’t difficult. Now, if I were to be somewhere holding conversations all day I would have certainly had a much harder time. I only entrusted two people with what my Lent challenge was today, and I thank them for not taking advantage. I could have been roped into moving, or going on an excursion to see a ball of earwax or some such nonsense.
Or worse. Much, much worse.

Love from Appalachia,
Amy xoxo