Give Me Some Routine

            I thrive with routine.  Oh, I enjoy spontaneity, but I need routine.  The past two weeks have made me come to appreciate that.  With sickness, snowstorms, health tests and a birthday, I’m finding myself in need of a week without interruption. 

            A week and a half ago, during our first snowstorm the sprinkler system at our church burst and left 2 inches of water in our foyer and all of the staff offices.  Thankfully an emergency crew of members showed up to move all of the furniture out of the offices and into our Family Life Center.  This meant that, even though 2^nd man was feeling better, he had to work from home.  Now, we get along terrifically, however, it still threw me off of routine having him here all day everyday.  It was a challenge for him as well.

     2^nd man also had to have some medical tests done this past week due to some abdominal pains he’s dealt with for some time now.  It wasn’t necessarily anything major or life threatening, however, as I was in the waiting room I decided to finish a book I had started several weeks prior.  Evidence Not Seen  is the name of the book and one that I’d highly recommend…just not while your husband is undergoing medical testing.  I found myself reading a part of the book where this woman, in a Japanese prison camp during WW II finds out about the death of her husband in another prison camp.  Her faith and strength from the Lord is simply outstanding and convicting.  She even found herself witnessing to the cruel camp commander when he brought her into his office to discuss the situation.    I found myself sitting there bawling my eyes out as I read and praying, “Lord, why am I reading this now?  Please don’t let this be some sort of preparation.”  Sounds kind of silly and emotional huh?  But, it was a powerful feeling nonetheless.

     Later in the week 2^nd man took me out for the evening for my birthday.  Dinner out is always a good gift for the stay at home mom.  No cooking, no dishes, nuff said.  After dinner and a little shopping we did my favorite new thing (if only it could be habit).  We went to Panera Bread Co. for coffee and scones.  I just love the atmosphere of calm music and trendy sandwiches, baked goods and coffee.  I wish so badly we had a Panera Bread Co. in our town.  I’d probably set up some sort of office from there.  I could just see myself recruiting for counseling appointments so that I could have coffee and scones.  We’d probably go broke in a year or less.  Or maybe I could get the church to provide a Panera fund? Hmmm? (pause typing for a far off thought wandering moment). 

            The kicker for the week is when we got a call this morning (3:30am) that an alarm was going off at the church.  2^nd man went out to take care of it.  However, I find myself awake now with no hope of going back to sleep.  I started the coffee and watched a few DVR’d decorating shows.  Then I realized, I haven’t even had a chance to blog all week.  Somehow, with no routine, and family underfoot at all waking hours, I never found enough quiet time to put together some thoughts.  Such is life, so here I am doing it at 5am.  Just another hour and a half and the family will start waking.  Hopefully, I’ll be ready for them. 

     I’m so ready to get back to routine.  We’ll start this week off with church today.  Regular church.  No snow closings, or sprinkler rearranging.  Regular, routine, wonderful church services.  Then tomorrow I’ll send 2^nd man off to the office and start school at a regular routine hour.  I may even find myself getting the house clean and dinner cooked.  I may be dreaming here, for I know that each day brings with it any number of variables.  I pray for plan A, but prepare to be flexible enough for plan B.  I’m just hoping the Lord agrees with my sense of needing plan A for a little while, for my own sanity’s sake.