Encouraging Another After this Kind of Day - Really?

Climbing the stairs to get ready for the evening, I sighed.
Did today really have to be this hard? 
Did I really need to experience all of it to learn this lesson?

My mind traced back over the day, a different Monday.

The morning had started with...

• a child jacking the thermostat by ten degrees which led to a extremely toasty room (and maybe later a higher heating bill?)
• a child sassing me at breakfast led to another discussion on attitude and tone of voice
• a child discovered not working on school work (aka goofing off)
• a child complaining about school work
• a child frustrated with school work
• a child trying to get out of doing school work

By lunch time, I felt like I had tried to climb the Mt. Everest of homeschool motivation, and maybe just maybe the worst of the day was over.

Then, the phone rang.

It was a friend who needed someone to listen. I tried to offer long distance words of comfort and encouragement while the youngest came to tell me the toilet down stairs was "waaaaayyy clogged" and the older children rough housed with balloons from yesterday's birthday party. Our phone conversation ended while I was draining the toilet for the third time.

Then, the door bell rang.

An unexpected visit from a fellow homeschooling mom. "Is this a bad time?"

I stifled the yes, and answered "Oh, just chaotic."

She had come to pick up a bottle rocket launcher for science olympiad practice. I quickly explained how it worked and she left.

Looking down, I realized what a sight I must be, not to mention the house! Vainly, I checked the mirror. How bad do I look? I took comfort in the fact that my hair looked kinda cute swept up on top of my head. Then, I looked to the left.  A mound of rags, a plunger, and a toilet-water-filled bucket set square in the middle of our bathroom.  {I am still trying to ignore the fact that the front door looks right into this!}

After several more unsuccessful attempts to fix the toilet, I washed up and returned to schooling. Three squabbles needed settled and two broken balloons needed picked up before we could start again.

I glanced over my planner. Tonight I was suppose to meet with a homeschooling mom who was just starting out. She has multiple children close in age and wants to talk about my experiences schooling multiple children.

I pushed my lips together. Really, today? I am suppose to go tell her that she can do this? After today? Seriously Lord, You have got to be kidding! I can't lie.  After today, I am not sure I can do this let alone tell someone else I know they can do this.

My best advice I had come up with that afternoon was "this too will pass."  I knew that wasn't too encouraging and was bordering too much on how to just survive the day. 

Lord, I don't have anything else, I pleaded.

Then, His answer.  "You can't do this. You never could in your own strength. You need to let me. I do it through you."

Yes, I needed to experience the hard day to be reminded of the valuable truth.  For on this day, my Martha-like attitude needed a Mary-like heart adjustment.
~ Dorie