burned rice

I burned the rice.

My daughter wanted pizza.

My son wanted anything other than what I was making.

My daughter picked through the veggies and didn't eat any of the green ones.

My son choked down chicken because I threatened to take away his chocolate milk.

They both complained through the entire dinner.

We allowed the kids a treat of chocolate milk which my daughter made and didn't end up drinking any of it.

No one paid any attention to the devotions I read, I'm certain.

As my husband and I finished the dishes, the kids ran around like banchies trying to see just how much rough housing they could do until someone lost an eye or until their Mom went bonkers! (Fortunately, bonkers came first!)

Dinner = failure.

*sigh*

But the reality of it is this: not every dinner is going to be wonderful.  We are not going to enjoy each other's company all the time. Some days are not good, no matter how you try to make it so.  Sometimes there is really no positive thing to hold on to (although my husband did compliment me on a very delicious dinner.  It might be just because he loves me, but I'm okay with that).

This sort of thing used to frustrate us to no end! Now it just frustrates us a little. (We've grown a little in the area of patience and tolerance).  Now we look to tomorrow and hope for a better day.  We try not to get hung up on the day's irritations (notice I said "try" and also understand that the day's irritations are usually generated by our children).

In the hymn, "Great is a Thy Faithfulness," halfway through the 3rd verse, we hear this: 

"Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside."

On days like today, I just pray for strength and hope for a better day tomorrow.  He is faithful.  He will provide both.

(And here's a little "perspective sharing" for today: even when dinner is terrible, I guarantee you can come up with a half a dozen ways it could be even worse.)

KC