Of sacrifices, boomerang kids, and jammies that stick

I don’t know about your house, but here at ours, it’s a scientifically-proven fact that when The Chief settles the pajama crowd at night, it just – well, “sticks” better.  Nightfall finds this mother exhausted, and having the father of the Restless Ones take charge is such a relief.  Mix in one boomerang kid (you throw him up, he comes back down) into the nightly “have you brushed your teeth” and “where are your PJs” melee, and it gets stressful.

In desperation, with the sound of chaos overhead, I turned to my husband and started to say, “I beseech you!  This is me, begging…” which is my standard plea for him to go up, take charge, and settle them down.  Instead, this is what came out, “I beseech you, brother, by the mercies of God that you present your body a living sacrifice and put those guys to bed!!”

It was so impromptu and unscripted that we both started laughing.

Now, months later, on this chilly spring Northern Indiana morning, I think again of these words:  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  Romans 12:1 

No burning bush moment today.  No outstretched finger writing the larger plan on the wall.  No audible Voice From Heaven with awesome revelations.

Today, there is this one simple act of obedience.  I present my body as a sacrifice to God, and that – whether typing or spreading peanut butter or sweeping the floor or reading a picture book or helping put jammies to bed, even if they don’t “stick” – is my reasonable service, my sacrifice for this moment.

What verse (I’d love to know) are you thinking on today?