Brown Paper Plate Thing

Today my multi-tasker made a miraculous recovery. 

I was at Wal-Mart by 7:45, at a meeting at 9:30, at Mighty Dollar at 11:15, meeting at 12, Hobby Lobby at 2, office at 2:45, getting kids by 4:45, off to Wed. night program by 5:30 (although I had to turn around and go back to the office because I forgot something...ok the multi-tasker may not have FULLY recovered), off (again) to Wed night program by 5:45, and, finally, headed home at 8:15.

You'd think I got a lot done, but it sure didn't feel like it.  While I didn't have time to get much done, somehow I found the time to complain a lot about my busy life and how I constantly feel behind.  Hmmm.

My complaining is not a rare thing, and I hate that.  I wish it were a very rare occurence.  I do it, and then don't even really realize it until afterwards.  I was thinking about how God says we (his followers) are to be the salt and light of the earth.  I don't know about you but I can't get enough of those two things: salt and light.  I use salt on practically everything (except for watermelon - ugh!) and when I get home I love to turn on most of the lights in the house.  With the way I was acting when I was complaining today, I don't think anyone would want more of that.  It kind of makes me think of this...thing(?) Ella brought home the other day.  It is a paper plate, stapled to another paper plate, with a bunch of brown....stuff(??) smeared on it.  (Now, let me clarify that I'm not knocking kids' crafts, being the children's ministry person that I am, and neither am I knocking Ella's preschool teachers - we absolutely LOVE them.  This is just a weird piece of "art.")  I have hung up the pretty butterflies, the beautiful abstract crayon scribblings, and even the faces on popsicle sticks that she has brought home previously, but I don't think I would request another paper plate brown smear thingy.  (Pic will be included, you just have to see what I'm talking about.)

  I'm pretty sure I was like that paper plate while I was complaining.  If you were listening to me you would've been as confused as the paper plate is.  Just as I asked myself, 'What IS that?' about the paper plate, you might've asked that about me.  Am I really a follower of God or not?  I say I am, but I sure didn't sound like it when I was complaining.  In the future, I pray I can be like the pretty tissue paper butterflies Ella has made - something that brings joy.  I'd rather not be something that is confused and ugly...like the brown paper plate...thing.

  Brown paper plate thingy, meet trashcan.