Answer in my head: um, no?
Answer out loud: (literally half asleep) sure
He begins where we left off in the book of ACTS where Peter receives a vision that basically tells Him it's time to preach to the Gentiles... cool and powerful story... but not what I mean to tell you about.
We pause to let God tell us what He wants us to receive from the passage, which I tend to have a hard time with even when I am wide awake after a full night's sleep, much less not even fully conscious yet (don't get me wrong, I am grateful that my husband cares more about my relationship with God than if I can get 3 more minutes of sleep before the circus gets going, I'm simply trying to convey how NOT awake I was).
It came to me clear as day, and a quickness that I don't have normally (isn't God so merciful?). As I was attempting to wake up and get my game face on for ANOTHER Monday or being Holly Housewife and, to be honest, fighting an almost (pause: my 2 year old woke up and wants "thereal") constant battle with monotony, this is the verse that stood out to me...
ACTS 10: 15 "Then the voice said, 'What God has cleansed you are not to call common.' "
Soul. Punched.
God was telling me that MY LIFE IS NOT COMMON!
CHASING BUTTERFLIES > PADDLING A RIVER
Yes, another Monday. Yes, I am about to start the same routine that Monday brings. Yes, someone is sick... actually 5/6 kids are sick, and one has a named sickness which ads to the mental game. But my husband and my children are ANYTHING but common. My life is ANYTHING but common. We are told by the world that women should get out there and do something with our lives, our degrees, our student loans, our "adulting" and I can tell you that the temptation to do that is real (I mean, to go shopping all day long with my student loan money and eat out 2/3 of my meals was mighty nice). But the truth is that THIS IS better than any (pause, my six year old needs help with math) trip I might take, these are the decisions that have eternal consequences. Traveling "the hills of the human soul" will take me more outside of my comfort zone that ANYTHING or ANY place ever will.
SUCCESSFULLY TAKING THREE TO THE DOCTOR > CLIMBING EVEREST
So this grace that He gave me through Scripture this morning showed itself when one of my little olive plants was crying for the ZILLIONTH time this morning (which ALWAYS includes screaming with the tears), and I was walking inside outside inside outside inside outside to get him a pair of shoes that weren't too tight or too big (or too red or too old or too dirty or too wet) and just like Peter, I heard a voice say something very similar to what I read:
"This is not a common day, this is not a common child, and this your life is not ordinary. Here is your first chance to treat this moment like it is the first time you have every done this... Motherhood is holy, so don't call this moment common"
FOUND THIS PICTURE FROM TWO YEARS AGO THAT IS ACTUALLY ENTITLED
"JUST ANOTHER DAY"
WATCHING ONE CHILD TEACH ANOTHER > THE JOY OF A SUNRISE
SEEING BROTHERS PEACEFULLY READING TOGETHER > RELAXING ON THE BEACH
BECAUSE NO SUPERHERO IS COMMON
WHO DOESN'T WANT TO PLAY CHESS IN MY BATHROOM?
AND EVERY FEW MONTHS YEARS SOMEONE TAKES A REAL PICTURE OF MY CHILDREN
Isn't God so faithful and merciful?!? "More will be given to the one who has been given much" He will not let me drift through the life as if every day were just another version of the same thing. Pope Benedict said that we are not created for comfort, but for greatness! My days, no matter how much I wish for convenience and comfort, are given to me to make greatness come from them.
I'm not saying that I merrily levitated back and forth, to and from the house trying to find one freakin pair of shoes that fit this poor child just because I had the experience with praying with this Scripture passage this morning, but it gave me the grace to be just a bit kinder to my sweet, emotionally charged baby. It made this Monday a whole lot sweeter, and I tell you what, it made me SUPER happy for this upcoming season in the church... this WILL NOT BE JUST ANOTHER ADVENT!! I found myself ho-humming about what to do with my family this Advent and the monotony was all but wiped away at this realization... if I will prepare Him room in my heart, then I CANNOT think of this as "Just another Advent."
May God give us the grace to make this an EXTRAORDINARY ADVENT. May I never call this life a common one...
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