When we were younger, and Neeny thought we were being bad, she used to read us this book called Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. It starts off like this, "I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
And the story goes on, in one big run-on sentence, to tell the story of this kid who has this unbelievably bad day, and everyone else laughs about it, but it's not funny to him. So he keeps threatening to move to Australia. That was the joke in my family growing up: "I'm going to Australia." At the end, of course, Alexander's wise mother lets him know that bad days even happen in Australia, but that tomorrow will be better.
I think Neeny would help me to laugh about the week I've had this week. But she's probably the only one. My story would begin, "I went to breakfast with someone I love, and he's not a Christian and while I was burdened for him and his family we ran out of time and had to take Kaela to a birthday party in this God-forsaken place called Chuck E Cheese, and when my head was aching from all the noise & chaos it was time to leave to Christmas shop, and while we were trying to make up our minds about gifts I kept hearing this doll say "Get out of my way" over and over, and while I thought about how badly people are missing the point of the holiday, Eric told me I was being about as much fun as a root canal. And I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
And it was. Actually, just a really bad week. Since I'm a mommy, and usually quite fond of my life, I ruled out moving to Australia (for now), and instead I found another Book...a book with another story to help with my frustrations in the first one, and to focus me again on the point of everything...and here's an excerpt from it.
In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. And each were to be enrolled in his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in that region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Behold! Be not afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people; for unto you this day is born, in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased."
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying which had been told them concerning the child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
When I read this (and in my head, it sounds a bit like Charlie Brown's voice talking), I remember. I know that some weeks are like this--even in Australia--and long before I even put my foot in my mouth a single time this week, God had crafted His master plan, culminating with Christ's birth & later His death on a cross. For me. Wow. And while I'm not laughing about this week yet, things seem a little better. A little brighter.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light... Isaiah 9:2
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