Wednesday, December 3, 2008

The Tattle Tale Saga continues...

So, who remembers my decree "No more Phineas and Ferb or Suite Life of Zack & Cody until you girls can stop tattling?" Remember that particular gauntlet I so carelessly threw down? Well, unfortunately, I do. And I miss Phineas and Ferb. Heck, I miss London Tipton. I miss getting 30 minutes of peace while I cook dinner. And I feel guilty that I even require 30 minutes of peace when I'm home alone all day 3 days a week, and on those 3 days I miss my friends, and I'm lonely....What is wrong with me?

Anyway, the conundrum is this....My girls don't like any of the shows that are on during dinner fixing time, except those 2 shows. Or, it's shows I don't allow them to watch. Plus, I like both of those shows. Perry the Platypus cracks me up....So, the girls said they would go without tattling for one week.

We've been depressingly unsuccessful. Last night on the way to Popcorn's Christmas program:
Bookworm: Mo-om, Popcorn is sticking her feet up in the air
Me: Darn it! Now we're back to zero...Remember, no tattling!
Popcorn: Bookworm, what are you thinking? I wanted to tattle on you today, but then I remembered I wanted to watch Suite Life tonight, so I kept my mouth shut!
Bookworm: I forgot!
Popcorn: How can you forget?.......

And another sibling squabble ensued.......

This morning Iwas reading the paper (I'm so excited. For 3 months I get the Sunday and Wed paper for $2.75/month! Yeah!) and of course I read the comics first. I love Baby Blues. In today's strip, Zoe was happy that she could tattle on her brother every day for the rest of her life, and still never run out of reasons. I had to laugh. Isn't that true?

Well, Dear Reader, that's all the rambling I have for you today....more whining than rambling. But, someday, I know my girls will learn not to tattle. They may be in college, but I know that future is there, somewhere, in a galaxy far far away, where Phineas and Ferb no longer exist......And then I will be sad that my little turkeys are all grown up, and don't want to tattle to me anymore...

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.


Cast ALL of your anxiety...some translations use cares/worry. God doesn't tell us to give the big stuff to him, or the important stuff. He clearly tells us to cast ALL cares upon him. He can handle it...that's what he's there for. I've been coming back to this verse over and over lately. Do you ever feel guilty for being dissatisfied? Do you realize how incredibly blessed you truly are, and feel like you are whining because something is weighing you down...and this something seems so insignificant. God has been teaching me something...It's not insignificant. He cares about it. It may be a situation that may never be changed, or you can't see how it will change.

Maybe you hate where your fire place is, and every time you look at it, you wish it were different. Maybe your front door you expected to go into your brand new home isn't what you wanted after all. Maybe your pantry is way too small. No, these aren't all my examples, but they're concerns I've been hearing. I've decided these feelings are okay. We may not be able to change them. It probably isn't fair to bring these complaints to our spouses, especially if they can't/won't fix them. That will probably just create more dissension or dissatisfaction. Plus, fixing all of our problems is not a role our spouse is supposed to fill. That's God's role.

I've decided to bring all of these issues to the feet of my God. I used to hold this back. I felt ungrateful and selfish for being concerned about these little things, so I would ignore them outwardly and give God praise for all that he has given me. But those little things were still there. I was still clinging to them. I was not releasing them to God, because I had decided they were not worthy of his attention. They were too small for God. Doesn't that seem silly when it's put into words? But that was what I was saying. I was minimizing God, and who he is by refusing to turn my problems over to him...no matter how small.

Then I read 1 Peter 5:7, and I was moved to tears. Cast ALL my anxiety on him....He cares for me. My God cares for me. He cares about my kids. He cares about my job. He cares about my pantry. Nowhere do I find in scripture that God only cares about the "big" stuff. But I do see quite clearly where it says to cast ALL things to him. ALL things. Can you imagine? Do you understand the feeling of liberation this can give you? The indescribable relief and joy?

I challenge you to write this scripture down. Put it on an index card and carry it in your pocket. Post it on your bathroom mirror. Tape it to your steering wheel. Keep God's promises with you always. Tattle to God. That's what he's there for. He cares about a marriage that's falling apart, sick kids, and parking places that were stolen by the punk who darted in front of you and took it. He cares. He cares for me, and he cares for YOU.

So, I thought this rambling was over before I even typed my scripture....God had a different agenda for me today. Hope you were blessed!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

ummmm. From my experience as your older, exalted, wiser sister--tattling is not a trait you outgrow. It just has a different name--exchange of information. and it usually doesn't involve injury to anyone. Usually. Cause hopefully the wrestling matches are over!

Becky said...

I LOVE Baby Blues! I read it (and all the comics) everyday. :-)

Anonymous said...

thanks for reminding me of that scripture. I need that today. M