Stars on My Eyelashes

So every year we have a harvest party for the kids at sprout central where they can dress up and so can we (as long as there are no scary costumes) and we have a fun, lesson free day. Usually I just throw on a football jersey and bring my football and go as a fan or a player. Well, this year I decided to really go all out. The kids told me I should dress up as a princess, which I considered, but I finally decided that my evening gown that I had planned to wear was too nice to risk taking it into the DMZ (Defecation Madness Zone). Soooooooo I opted to go as a fairy Godmother instead, that dress would be much less of a blow to replace if it became soiled with....shall we say, a toddler's "homemade goodness". ICK!! Anyway, so I  was able to get my hands on some giant fairy wings, a wand, a wig, purple glitter eyeshadow and some false eyelashes with stars on them, pictured to the right. I had a blast and the kids liked it and so did the parents....(no there will be no photographic evidence forthcoming..lol)
As the day progressed, and the children became even more insane and we became physically drained, my wings, silver butterfly shoes and wand all came off.......but the false eyelashes stayed on until late that night. Everywhere I went I kept seeing the little stars glitter out of the corner of my eyes. If you've ever had a rogue fuzzball attach to an eyelash you know what I mean. It can be very distracting as it is constantly interrupting your line of vision. Well, if you have been a long time reader of my blog you know by now that I am ALWAYS looking for little teachable moments....ways that God can speak to me about something or perhaps encourage others. This one was a teachable moment for me.
  Soooooooo late Friday night I was asking God what I should share here at AMH next and then I looked up and there again were those little stars. I thought about it and asked Him if that was it and felt the familiar nudge to move forward. So as my heart listened to Him I was reminded of how earlier in the day I was exhausted and drained with the children. I felt so frustrated...these little blessings from God that I enjoy playing with and teaching and listening to when they play....these same little people had made me feel like......well.....if you saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ...that scene where Davey Jones calls for the kraken....and the pirates all scream, "..NOOOOOO!!!!!" and run terrified to escape it....yeah..THAT is how they made me feel Friday...lol.

Don't get me wrong, I love my job, I love working with the sprouts and I love working with Christians...such a VAST difference from working out in the secular world. I really have no room to complain..but I'm going to be honest, I just wanted to get away from them....I didn't want to hear another cry, another whine, another little voice calling my name, "Miss Fwan.....Miss Fwaaannnnnn..." I didn't want to clean another juice spill or another muck butt, I didn't want to be kind or loving or gentile...I didn't want to be surrounded by children. **sigh** I wanted a Calgon moment!
So I was less than Mary Poppins as I counted down the hours to go home and THAT is what God reminded me of. Ohhhhhhhh how I hate when I realize I missed it...which happens far more often than I would like to admit.
So what is the connection? Well, seeing those stars in the line of my vision reminded me that is how I am SUPPOSED to see God. He should be so present with me that He is constantly in my line of vision....wherever I go, wherever I look..I should see Him just like I kept seeing those little stars on my eyelashes. It's in seeing Him that I will then be moved to act like Him. I forgot that Friday...and plenty of days really...but I want to get better at that. I'm better than I used to be, but I have a long way to go. Thankfully God has more patience with me than I do with a herd of stampeding children.
So, do you feel like you need to have those Godly stars on your eyelashes too sometimes? Well, be encouraged.....there's hope for us. We just need to meditate on keeping our mind on Christ...easier said then done sometimes in this frenzied world...but we must keep our lines of communication open with our heavenly Dad. We must go to Him as soon as we feel that frustration and give Him praise and ask Him for grace and to see through His eyes. He will be faithful to do it if we just ask Him to.

Philippians 2:5 (Amplified Bible)

⁵Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]