Last week, there was a community watch out for a suspect looking group of vacuum salespeople. After the neighbors reported how they were approached, I had the kids on high alert.
Miranda got out of the car wearing her Sig and the UPS man asked why. She explained and he laughingly said that they'd regret it. She said, "Yeah, they will when Mama comes out with the shotgun!"
She'd been working like a dog in the barn all week. The pager went off for a wreck her sisters couldn't go to. She was soaking wet with mud, sweat, and rain. She grabbed her bag of gear and headed out. Upon arrival, one of the men volunteers used an expletive with, "Girl, you've been workin'!"
Mike keeps his bags packed this time of year. The next storm could be any minute; and although a disaster is never to be wished for, his enthusiasm to hit the road is undeniable.
I, myself, traveled with Macklynn and Madalynn early Friday nearly to Richmond, Virginia to get Michael for his follow-up on his shoulder. Now, he's been released to do whatever he can tolerate. Saturday dark morning found him in the woods hunting turkey, and now we have his 20 pounder in the freezer for late May when he returns.
As we arrived home Friday; Megan, McKala, and Melody were packed up for camp and just about to leave. "Daughters of the King" is a weekend they always enjoy and are honored to help the Hatfields with.
Megan had only been home a few days from Texas. She's more convinced than ever that the strong delusion is in effect over our country. What small children are growing up in is more than their little souls should ever have to bear.
We watched the slide show of their sweet faces Wednesday night and returned Sunday to hear the powerful words we always do from Brother Kevin. Miranda volunteered to take Michael and his friend back to school regardless of the rain. I hesitantly agreed and was glad I did when Mike pulled out the lawn mower that hasn't worked in 3 years. He took it apart and had it running in less than an hour.
There's something in a man's eye when his "woman" witnesses him get a job like that done. I foolishly never understood why he wanted me out doing whatever he was doing. I, not always purposefully, meandered around the house enjoying having it to myself. Not only was I missing fellowship with my husband but also how to do it myself.
So, Saturday, as sad as it is, we had a "session" for me to crank all the yard equipment. And after Michael was done plucking and gutting the turkey, he and his Daddy climbed on the roof to clean out the gutters.
Yesterday, it rained so that torrents ran down the drive and the ditches were running over. Macklynn and Madalynn played their hearts out in it for hours as I looked on from the porch.
6 am this morning, the girls were called out to a wreck. Megan went even though she had to be at work at 8, and McKala went even though she had a stress test scheduled at 8:30. Her tachycardia, high heart rate, is back. This time her lungs have been cleared as the cause. And after today's test, the Cardiologist reported, "She has a beautiful heart, perfectly normal."
So what is it? Another doctor believes Duke University will prove that it's something called POTS. It's particular to young women and is associated with the venous system not returning the blood back to the heart quickly enough.
Nevertheless, she persists. She "runs" until she just can't anymore. Then, about the only way she can recover is to sleep it off.
I've made my case that we're Ready to Roll. But getting up and moving is only half the story. What do you do when you get there?
Melody portrayed it nicely this week. The normally reserved one had a brush with a bully at Driver's Ed, and she did not back down. There's a student who has some kind of reading disorder, so she was asked to read the test for him, for which he was answering correctly. One of the 75 or so 14 year olds decided he would get in the boy's face and say, "What's wrong with you?" waving his hands in front of him saying, "Are you in there?" Melody stepped forward and said, "Leave him alone."
The kid said something else and she said more emphatically, "Leave him alone," to which another student decided to back her up.
Then, on the way home Michael told me about the Chinese student who was in his room the other night. They were discussing beliefs. The young man believes in his own version of reincarnation and says he doesn't even think Jesus existed. They talked for over an hour and Michael ended it with, "Why would you try all those ways of getting into 'heaven' when you could try this one way that works?"
He was frustrated that a fellow student who claims Christianity chided Michael for being so firm. Michael returned solidly, "First of all, he was in our room and obviously wanted to talk or he would've left. And would you rather not 'offend' him with the truth than see him in heaven?"
And there's McKala who never shares the influences she makes until we drag it out of her, often accusing her of being cold "hearted." A coworker and friend, who does not profess the Lord but acts better than a lot of people who do, was harboring disquietness against a possible choice her husband would make, when McKala boldly interjected to her that she is her husband's helpmeet and that it's okay for him to make an executive decision..
At that point, McKala risked the relationship. And was pleasantly surprised later when the young woman acknowledged her as her best friend.
Yes, our older children are being shot out as arrows. But take note, that the younger ones are not; most all ministering that I do is alongside them. I am convinced beyond discussion that a mother is not called apart from her children, because they are her second mission and their father is her first.
Therefore, when I ask, "Are you Ready to Roll?" I do not mean without your children. I just mean, are you willing to have your routine upset for the greater cause?
I just mean, are we teaching our children to be capable of doing more than we learned in school? We can read all day, but can we apply it to anything useful or helpful? Can we make or fix or operate things, much less sustain or kill living ones? Can we "defend" ourselves or "save" anyone else in more ways than one, if that? My "education" didn't prepare me for much at all. I am ill-equipped around people who are not.
Oh, wait a minute ...we'll hire people to do it for us. That's right; that's the answer. In some cases, yes, but in most "The Cat's in the Cradle" lyrics are prophetically playing in the background:
"A child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking before I knew it and as he grew
He said, "I'm gonna be like you, Dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin' home, Dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw?"
I said, "Not today, I got a lot to do"
He said, "That's okay"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm going to be like him"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin' home, Dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and he said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin' home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, Dad
You know we'll have a good time then
I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "Id like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to Dad, if I could find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"
And as I hung up the phone it had occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me, my boy was just like me
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin' home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, Dad
We're gonna have a good time then
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin' home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, Dad.
We're gonna have a good time then."
Moms, if we aren't living life with our children, then we are the more guilty.
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