The Visitation

Clearly the blogging mood has to literally slam me down in order for me to post something new. Well that surely happened.

THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOWED UP IN THE HONDA MINI-VAN TODAY!!!!

We were riding in the car when Alaiyah just starts wailing!!!
I think to myself...what now! I know she's tired so any little thing could have set her off. Honestly I tried to ignore it hoping the crisis would pass...we all know it didn't. She only got louder.

I asked her what was wrong. She says she dropped her candy.

(mind you she's crying like they are coming to take her away to never see us again).

My automatic, natural, (SINFUL) response is to get irritated. This is soooo over the top and after all they sale candy on every corner. She will get another piece some day.


(ok I know you're wondering where the Holy Spirit shows up because he surely wasn't in any of those insensitive thoughts....I know! I know!!! that's what makes His entrance sooooo dramatic :)

I prayed!

I was talking to a friend earlier today about really trusting the Lord and looking to Him to lead me and guide me in parenting...as oppossed to looking at what others do or what they expect. So, my attempt in praying was to ask the Lord, "now what do I do with this." I was thinking in real general terms because this occurs frequently and I know I'm to be sensitive but I don't want to raise a cry baby either. I continued, "how would you handle this situation?".

Immediately...I do declare...immediately I knew the Lord would speak to her from His word. So i said

(here's where the Holy Spirit steps in)

ME: "Alaiyah sometimes when I'm sad i have to tell Jesus about my problems because He cares about me. You should tell Him why you are sad and ask Him to help you feel better. You should even ask Him to give you some more candy."

aLAIYAH: (through sobs and tears) "We don't have any candy (boo hoo hoo)"

ME: Alaiyah did you tell Jesus why you are so sad?

aLAIYAH: NO.

(long pause)

aLAIYAH: Now i did. (still crying)

ME: (here's the Holy Spirit again) Now we should think of all the things we have to be grateful to Jesus for. What can you think of to thank Jesus for?

aLAIYAH: (still through many tears) I can thank Jesus for candy.

ME: (really shocked she's even participating...you should've seen my face) That's right we can be thankful for candy. What else can we thank Jeus for?

aLAIYAH: (still crying) We can thank Jesus for answering our prayers.

ME: That's right we can thank Jesus for anwering our prayers. What else can we thank Jesus for?

aLAIYAH: (tears deminishing now) I can thank Jesus for my friends.

ME: (literally grinning from ear to ear...I can't believe this) That's right we can thank Jesus for our friends. What else can we thank Jesus for?

aLAIYAH:(at this point no longer crying...Hallelujah! Thank you Lord!) I can thank Jesus for my guitar and journal.

ME: That's right we can thank Jesus for...

In the end Alaiyah was no longer crying, I was no longer frustrated, and we both had been drawn to Jesus! If only you could hear my heart SCREAM!!!! The Lord met me yall...in my time of need Jesus came and gave me wisdom. Wisdom that was so beyond me. Did it sound from the beginning like this was the direction that conversation was headed? Absolutely not. I was soooo excited and I couldn't hide it! When I got home seconds later, I told Alonzo that he had to hear what the Lord had done (while putting on my Baptist Church shout LOL!!) PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!!

O Lord, continue to draw my heart to you in the midst of my sin and help me to point the little hearts you've given me to train to your word where they will find that you are a refuge, a very present help, and an on time God.