Mad Minute

Last night I learned that a "Mad Minute" is a military term used in reference to a point where an army (who is about to retreat) will expel all of its ammunition at their enemy so that they 1. don't have to carry it on their retreat and 2. don't allow it to fall into their enemy's hand. It doesn't say quite that much here but that is the essence of what was said last night. Sometimes this tactic will work to confuse the almost conquering side and they will believe that they are about to be defeated.

We had a moment last night where it seemed like that was happening to us; it's like Satan decided to fire all of his rounds in an attempt to confound us. For a brief, almost millisecond it started to work; we were at the door of a really great pity party just about to turn that knob to an uber fun night of sulking, pouting and wailing...only a millisecond though.

Last night, as we were walking out the door, our current babysitter called us to let us know that tomorrow will be the last day she can watch Bug and Jellybean after school. They are moving to a cheaper rental and it is an apartment and not a house therefore (and I understand) she feels it would be too loud to babysit any of the kids she was. The part that was momentarily knocking us on our butts was the fact that we really got no notice and we went into a state of initial shock. We had just overcome this battle a month ago with not having a sitter and a few weeks, again, before that. (The same people were watching other kids so we know that we are not the only ones who have had this recurring battle.)

BigB & I were too into our momentary pity to listen to God for a solution. We decided, for a brief moment, that our problem had probably taken God by surprise and that He didn't know this had been coming so how would He have a solution for us. Obviously we didn't consiously think that but that is what our behavior screamed. Boy, were we dorks! :D How is our problem too big for a God who is in control of this great big universe? To put us in perspective, here is what Pastor Terry said to us: think of your problems like this. There is a great big universe and in it the Milky Way and in that our planet called Earth and in that our country called Canada and in that our province and in that our city and in our city there is me and BigB and our GREAT BIG problem...sort of makes you feel a little foolish about dwelling on some of the things a person dwells on...

Why is it that in our selfishness we think that God wasn't aware, even before time began, that we would find ourselves faced with certain situations? Why is it that we feel focusing on our problem is going to make it go away? Remember high school? Remember focusing on that "huge" pimple on your face that no one else saw but to you it was big enough to carve your very own Mount Rushmore on? Didn't make the pimple go away did it? In fact, it was pretty much a waste of time and energy to just focus on that pimple.

Last night, after our brief moment of falling on our butts, BigB & I realized how silly it was for us to focus on our problem; it's not that big in the grand scheme of things and it didn't surprise God. He was not panicking last night, pacing the floors of Heaven saying, "Oh how did this get past me?! What now!? What am I going to do?!" We needed to focus on the solution as soon as I hung up from that phone call. We needed to say "God, we are in covenent with you. Your Word says that You will provide for all our needs and right now we are in need of a babysitter. What are You going to do about it?"

You know what? Within an hour and a half of not having a babysitter and, momentarily, feeling all hope was lost, we had a new babysitter. This is a probable temporary solution that may turn into a more permanent one; who knows right now? I may not know and she may not know but God does and that is all I need to know.

Mad minute tactics diverted; we didn't fall for that trick! Thank you, Pastor Terry, for your time, for your wisdom and for giving us The Word "machine gun-style" so there was no room for our thoughts, fears and goofiness. Thank You, God for Your faithfulness even when we detoured off the road of faith and found our way onto that road of fear, as momentarily as it was! Thank You for Your provision and for supplying our needs always!!!