Early to rise as usual. But the nephews weren’t having it. 😉 I needed to get them packed up and in the car so we could make the drive to meet Heather half way (about 2 hours away) and give me time to get back and caught up on work. The youngest, Ray, wasn’t having it.
“Do you know what sleeping in means?” he said and scrunched his face up as best he could to show me his disapproval. It was 9:30am! I can’t remember the last time I’ve slept till 9:30am. No really, I can’t. 🙂
With consistent threats loving persuasion and donut holes I finally got him moving. “I don’t want to leave,” he finally admitted. I smiled despite the fact I realize his persistence to stay was more due to the video games, food, and gullibility of everyone in the house to his 6 yr old charm rather than my awesome presence as his most beloved aunt.
A few hours later we were saying our goodbye’s and I was headed back south to Kingwood when I received a phone call from Neal. “How are you?” he asked. Instinctively I knew he was about to lay something on me because it was such a formal question.
“I’m fine,” I replied. “How are you?”
“Well,” he began… He went on to explain that a friend of ours from college had called and left him a message that ‘we’ were on our way to come for a visit. Neal hemmed and hawed, and tried to stall but I caught it. “We?” I asked.
“Well, I completely forgot I had told him to come on in for a visit and he has his two boys with him. But it’s no big deal. They are 10 and 12. I’ve got everyone covered.”
Really? I thought. I sighed deeply. I haven’t even taken the sheets off the bed! Quickly my list of ‘to do’ for guests piled on to my list of ‘to do’ for the ministry and such that I’ve put off because of my nephews visit.
I could feel the strings of the anxiety corset tightening through my abdomen. It is what it is, I heard whispered within my spirit and the tightening stop. What could I do about it? If I was told I could tell the old friend ‘No’, would I? No. Would I turn away his sons? Absolutely not, their parents have just gone through a divorce…they need something to do and to have fun.
The anxiety subsided as I let it go.
I walked in the door and sure enough, 15 minutes later the door bell rang. Our guests had arrived! Thankfully the kids are now swimming, and Neal and our friend are visiting in the living room. I have almost a few things accomplished and with YOUR PRAYERS from yesterday I can see a clearer vision of tomorrow.
I’d rather the Deitz household have a welcoming swinging door than a guarded one hidden behind bars. 😉
Blessings
Shannon