Life is but a Play Date

9:22 PMHeather

Wednesday may be hump day, but July is hump month. That point in the summer when the children have officially hit the wall. Too much togetherness--the novelty of being together all day has worn off completely. The lazy days and slow mornings have become boring. They've caught up on all Disney shows (except of course, for Good Luck Charlie--our saving grace for new episodes). We've hit the library, the city pool, bummed off every friend we know with a pool, had our cousin time, been there done that with the dollar theater. Now what?!

A little trip to Galveston for the fourth broke the monotony. I had hopes it would break the downward spiral. And, it did. Initially. Till about three days after our return. So, you can imagine our state of mind when I finally got them out of the house for something we hadn't done ALL SUMMER LONG. I thought the five story indoor playground on a rainy day was JUST the ticket.

Yeah, you'd think. But, you'd think wrong. Oh, there was great anticipation and happiness about our plan. I thought they MAY even break out in jubilant song. I was certainly excited to take a couple of hours to let them get their energy out while I caught up on my Bible study and the huge stack of unread magazines.

They tore off their shoes and ran toward the playground. I thought that as their usual spy and hide-and-seek game begun with such gusto that they'd be quite preoccupied. In approximately 1.5 minutes, the first one showed up with a complaint. Then another showed up and sat for a break. Did I mention that the game had only lasted about a minute and a half? Really? A break? The third one came for snacks--you know the appetite you work up within two minutes of playtime.

And, I thus spent the next two hours reminding them to actually PLAY on the playground they begged me for. I watched them run AROUND the play ground--angry that I would not allow them to play all over the lobby, in the elevator, around the building. They were so miffed that I asked them to play ON the playground--not near it. But why? This was the chorus of whining I heard repeatedly.

Hmmpf. Somewhere in the midst of this frustration I saw myself. God has given me this life--this five story playground of blessings. I have asked Him--please, please, please can you let me marry my dream guy? Let me be a mom? Let me stay home? Help us pay off debt? And on and on. And, initially, I stood in awe of His yes. He allowed me exactly what I asked for. For about a minute-and-a-half I was appeased. Then, I run around the playground. Stop for a break, whine because I can't go up and down the elevator. Fuss because I have to follow the rules and keep my socks on. All the while, this glorious playground that is my life, including the mundane, waits for me with an invitation. It beckons me to embrace it, to soak it in, to explore every inch of it, to be grateful for it. It calls me to go down the slides, to try out the tunnel, to find the joy even in the places where I've spent time already. I've got a choice to make. Be content in all circumstances--enjoy the playground? Or, complain about the places He is not yet allowing me to explore?

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