How To Ruin A Perfect Day

Fall arrived this morning to Louisiana...well, at least for the next few days. It was the most perfect weather--mid 70s, a few clouds, and a bright, skin-warming sun.

And yet this morning's events threatened to ruin the entire day.

Last night before I turned in, I received an email with some pretty powerful, angry words thrust at me...only to wake up this morning with a follow-up email already waiting. It contained words I would never use to describe myself. Words I had hoped no one would ever use to describe me.

Before I could even go outside, I had to barricade myself inside the bathroom just so I could type a response and try to diffuse an escalating situation, even if Amelia's fussing begged to differ.

I went through the proper procedures that each teacher is required to follow when dealing with problems that just can't be resolved within the confines of the normal student-teacher relationship.

But by this point I was not only hurt. I was also angry.

Then came the third email to my box, another assault against me as a teacher, as a person. A threat to put a permanent smudge on my good name and reputation.

I didn't want to.

I really didn't want to. It's much easier to be angry than hurt.

But, I knew my day was ruined if I didn't.

So, I apologized for not being the teacher she felt I should be. And I went outside to play with my children, determined to not sin in my anger and ruin this day.

I watched Wyatt chase a butterfly to the passion fruit vine and then stop to examine some chomping caterpillars (He was braver than his mama and touched one).
I enjoyed Wyatt skipping barefoot through the freshly mowed grass.

I laughed at Wyatt singing "Clap, clap, clap your hands together" with Amelia as he tried to "help" her to clap, a skill she furiously wanted to demonstrate without his help.
And I sighed at Emerson's sweet curls, just starting to form at the nape of his neck.

After we came back inside, God spoke to my heart, letting me know He was aware of the day's events. As I sat on the floor with the twins, Wyatt went to the living room bookshelf and pulled out a random Pooh bear book for me to read--Forgive and Forget.

Of all the 150 or so books on that shelf...God is so good. His way of speaking to me is better than anything I could make up.