The Day After...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you feel like you really "got" something, and then not more  than 24 hours later you are tested in that very same area and come up lacking?

Oh yes, whether or not you can relate, this seems to happen to me all the time.

I am such a fallen creature.

Today was the 5th Sunday of the month, and so we were trying to make things easier in Children's Ministry and do a movie, so no one had to prepare for teaching.

I think the kids would have done better with a lesson this morning.

About 60 of our 70 kids had to go to the bathroom, and not all at the same time.

I had kids come to me complaining about neighbors spitting on them, pinching them, kicking their chairs, and sitting on them.

I had kids rolling in the aisles, jumping and dancing down the steps (my youngest was doing some of the jumping and dancing)

We ran out of snacks and didn't have cups (someone had to go out and buy some...oh, and water, too)

I found myself getting irritable, impatient, and by the time the 50th child was asking me to go to the bathroom I was more than a little merciless and asking them, "Do you really need to go to the bathroom?  Can't you wait for 10 minutes.  Why didn't you go before you came in to Children's Church?"

What was my problem?

I think it was my level of expectation.

I was thinking it was a much needed "down week."  We would get the kids set up with a snack and then watch a movie...a sit down and relax event in my house.  Of course, I have just THREE kids.

It wasn't a relaxing event at all.

Now that I know that, I won't go in next time expecting something that isn't going to happen :) and I won't feel so let down.

But, why can't I be more flexible and "go with the flow."

Why does change and the unexpected get me riled up so that I forget what I just read about in James 2 days ago and wrote about yesterday.  Where was my patience, where was my mercy, where was my ability to turn the kids' complaining into a character lesson and have them learn from it rather than me just getting a bit angry?

I'm still working on this, I'm still trying so hard to meet up to the standard, and I'm still thankful that God is merciful, slow to anger, and patient with me!  There is still so much to learn!