In Which I’m Late All Day and It All Turns Out OK

Thanks for your enthusiastic response to the direction the Lord is leading my blogging this summer! All requests have received due notice, creative juices are beginning to ooze, and I can hardly wait for all the writing time I’ll find when I unplug in just. Eight. More. Days!

And? I have a story for you already! But first, some housekeeping details I don’t want you to miss (because, though I love story telling, the Lord has also called me to steward the opportunities He’s brought my way, and He’s been opening so many doors lately!)

1. I blogged at Allume this week, sharing 4 {Great!} reasons YOU should write an ebook. Writing my first book changed my life, even though it was ‘just a cookbook’. My second book is doing the same thing. Book writing has been a place I have met God, and come away changed. Books are like altars of rememberence to me. So, yeah, I’m always encouraging  those with the dream to write a book to follow through.

2. I got to talk to my Allume roomie this week. Sounds like no big deal, ‘cept she’s like a famous author and we were chatting on live radio. I was a hot mess. My hands were sweating–OK, everything was sweating. I can’t remember anything I said, but I do have this vague recollection that it was actually a lot of fun. And it was recorded–you can listen to the podcast here. (I was her second guest, so my part doesn’t start till half way through, but the author she interviewed before me was really cool!)

3. Finally, it’s Mother’s Day this weekend, right? We talk a lot about Motherhood on this here blog, because that’s a huge part of my life right now. But my heart aches (and not just on this particular weekend) for my friends who long for babies but struggle with infertility. That’s why I’m excited to share with you about a Natural Fertility eBook Bundle. 29 eBooks about nourishing your body for conception, treating PCOS naturally, and real food cookbooks (including that ice cream book I raved about last week!) for just $34.95. You can find out more about this great resource for would-be mothers HERE.

And, now it’s story time. 😉

I was running late all day.

I slept in. (sleep, how I love thee) I took a long, hot shower (my coffee alternative). I spent time putting my hair up so I’d have curls for our outing that night. Finally made it downstairs to begin on breakfast. Eventually looked at the clock and realized I needed to kick it in to High Gear if I was gonna get out the door. I was planning on running a meal to my dear friend, the one who my Claire is named after, because she just had a baby. Although she lives an hour away, we wanted to help them celebrate, and I wanted my kiddos to meet a brand-new baby so they can begin to imagine what we’ll be welcoming around here in the fall.

So, food and pots and pans came out,  and I chopped an onion after gobbling my french toast (eww!) and coaxed (to put it lightly) my kiddos to clean the dining room while I raced around like a chicken with its head cut off. An hour…or two…later, a meatloaf stuffed with sauted veggies and herbs (recipe from Nourishing Traditions) and Rosemary Potatoes from Pioneer Woman, and Avocado Chocolate Pudding (made by someone more amazing than me) and a jug of cider from the freezer, we were ready to go.

But you know, then comes the ‘getting into the car’ ordeal.

By the time we were on the road, I was a hot mess. I told the children we would be having Quiet Time on this trip so mommy could cool down. Only  a few moments of silence were necessary for the Spirit to whisper that some repentance was in order. With apologies and gentle tones, the kids and I made peace. But I still required silence for most of the ride.

All the way there, I worried at how my late start would affect the rest of my day. I had two hours of driving time, plus as many minutes cuddling and smelling a new baby as possible, but I had a friend stopping at my house after lunch—how could I fit this all in? And when was I gonna eat lunch???? (because I’m ALWAYS hungry!)

Did I mention I was a hot mess? I could fill the stress settling into my trapezius muscles, and began questioning my sanity and my ability to make sound scheduling choices.

A few minutes of snuggling a handsome, 6 day old baby boy and I knew I’d made the right decision to come…but how would the rest of the day pan out? And when would I eat?

Relaxing in the familiar environment of my dear friend’s home, I told myself everything would be OK. And it was. She had packed a picnic, and planned a quick jaunt to the park near her home where our 6 (combined) mobile children would enjoy the new swing set. I decided, despite my schedule, to go with the flow and milk every ounce of goodness out of this day as possible.

On the way to the park, I called my friend, due to arrive at my house by 1:30, and told her I was over an hour away…would she mind if we rescheduled for 2? She was fine with that, so I let myself enjoy the park with my kiddos, and enjoyed an Open Faced Rueben Sandwich with homemade dressing, sauerkraut, and nitrate-free roast beef. It was as awesome as it sounds. Oh, and a glass of Peach Kombucha that was as yummy as my old summer favorite, Snapple Peach Ice Tea. God had provided lunch, through my sweet friend (and I was supposed to be bringing HER a meal!)

(The best picnics include raw milk!)

Finally, back into the car, back to the house for a potty break, and by this time I’m getting stressed again, because despite my best intentions, I’m 20 min. late for my next ‘appointment’. We say rushed goodbyes and head home. I picture the house in the state that I left it—cooking dishes covering every available counter in the kitchen, laundry in spring-sorting-piles all over the laundry room floor, and the carpet in desperate need of vacuuming. I contemplate the very real possibility that my friend will take me up on my offer to make herself at home if she gets to my house before I do. I close my eyes to try to digest how crazy my life has become–and then remember I’m still driving.

I tuned up my radio to distract my spinning thoughts, and heard the announcer, a friend I know and love in real life, say that she’s broadcasting live from the Pennsylvania Homeschool Convention and will be speaking with the Money Saving Mom in a few minutes.

I looked at the clock with the realization that if I had been on time, I would have missed this precious opportunity to hear two sweet friends’ voices on my radio as I drove home.

I cranked up the radio and savored every decibel of Terese and Crystal’s delightful conversation, which finished up when I was just two miles from home. I turned the radio back down and glanced at Jesse in the rear-view mirror.

“Jess? You know how stressed I was about being late? If I hadn’t been late, I wouldn’t have been able to hear my friends on the radio! Will you help me remember next time I get worried about being late, that God is taking care of all the little details in our lives?”

He nodded in agreement, and we pulled into our driveway.

Yes, my friends had arrived before me. Yes, they had made it past the kitchen and the view of the laundry room into my living room. I walked into my own house and called out a ironic “Welcome!” and exchanged hugs all around.

And you know what? It was OK, because they had made themselves comfortable in my absence, and I’ve always said, if there’s room for people to sit on the couch, then there’s room for hospitality. My worth is not based on the cleanliness of my house, anyway, right?

P.S. Neither is yours.