The unexpected

Last Tuesday I picked the girls up from school, went quickly to McDonald's for lunch and then quickly to a meeting. The already anticipated rush was amplified by the fact that last Tuesday was school portrait day. So they went to school dressed in velour, fall/winter-type dresses, since the portraits will be delivered toward the end of October, and -- let's face facts -- by the time I actually distribute the portraits it will be winter. (Admittedly, I may have given all of that far too much thought.) Anyrate, that fact is relative to the story only because the school did not have time (with 20+ children, it would have taken an entire day) to change them out of their dresses and into the play clothes I sent. Therefore, in between all of that rushing about, I squeezed in the opportunity to change their clothes in the parking lot.

Also, at McDonald's, they received different toys in their happy meals. Gracie received Gretel, and Lauren received Hansel. I could not believe that the normally astute Lauren did not pick up on that since they argue over who gets the "girl" milk at Chick-fil-A, but I needn't worry for long because Gracie started taunting her about it.

"Gracie has the girl, and LuLu has the boy. Gracie has the girl doll, and Lulu has a boy. Lulu, you have the boy? Gracie has the girl. I have the girl doll. Lulu, do you have the boy doll?"

The screaming that ensued was ear-piercing.

We arrived at the meeting frazzled. From there, the girls began to completely dismantle the room. I brought in their backpacks and two new books apiece. I had also loaded an episode of Barney onto my iPhone. None of it mattered. The only thing that might have saved the day would have been an appearance by the actual Barney.

The meeting itself was straightforward. There were three possible outcomes, and I was prepared for two of the three. I had prepared notes and questions. The third possibility, the scenario I had not considered at all, was the ultimate result. (We had deemed it completely improbable.) I had no prepared notes or questions for that scenario.

What I did have, however, was confidence. I have been a subscriber of Our Daily Bread for approximately 10 years. Just an hour and a half before the meeting, while I was in the school pick up line, I had read the e-mail notification (click here to sign up for e-mail subscription) I receive from them. The message? Matthew 10:27-33. How it applies is simple. Even though I was surprised by the turn the meeting took, He was not. Ultimately, He is in control, and He cares so much that even the very hairs of our heads are all numbered.

And, He has a keen sense of humor, based on my children's behaviors... Hansel and Gretel, indeed.

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