Submission

 Patience and submission are hard lessons for me learn.
 But, lately it seems God is saying it's time to work on those areas. :P (not my favorite part of ''school'') 

 Yesterday God seemed to be testing me in the area of submission, so I made it a point to do whatever was needed without asking questions, or putting things off till later. 

 Yesterday was one of the BEST days! :) It is SO fulfilling to submit to others. (not that I haven't tried, it's just my heart wasn't in it before)

 Normally when the guys come in with a problem, I'm ashamed to say, but they usually have to deal with it themselves, because we all say we don't have time. 

 My brother came in yesterday saying he had a loose button on his coat, and he was about to lose it.   

 From down the hall I heard, 'get a different coat, I'll deal with it tonight' and my first reaction was, yeah, that's a good idea.  But then I got to thinking, that's his warmest work coat, and he has to go out in the FREEZING cold, and ride the 4-wheeler; so, I said I would sew on the button.

 I love to sew buttons, but I was up to my elbows in dish water.  But, I dried my hands and got the needle and thread.  He didn't take his coat off like I was expecting, so I got to pretend to poke him with the needle. ;) 

 Then later Dad came in with his warmest coat, and couldn't get out of it, because the zipper pull broke.   

 Now, I've never fixed a zipper before, and was busy trying to clean the bathroom.  But, Dad needed his coat off.  So Mom worked him out of it, but he wouldn't be able to use it again until the zipper was fixed.  So, I spent an hour fixing the zipper pull. (it took that long, because I had no clue what I was doing) It now works better than before! :) 
 Then, after cleaning and such all day, stopping often to make small repairs for the guys, I was REALLY tired.  But Dad wanted me to make cookies.  He said I didn't have to make them last night yet, but I could tell he wanted them last night.  So I made them, and Jake of course has to help, which adds another hour to prep time. :P 
 

 By the end of the day, everybody was happy with me (a rare thing, for me {you don't know how annoying I can really be}) and I felt at peace with the world. :D 

 Also, one thing that helps me, when I don't want to do something for somebody else, because I'm busy, I think; what if they died in an accident, or in their sleep or something, and weren't here tomorrow.   I will always be sorry I didn't do it; that I told them to wait.  And, I'll always be wishing I could do some little thing for them again, if they could just be there. 

 There are so many times I wish I had learned the songs on the piano that Opa liked, or just worked on it more, and played piano for him more.

 One time I didn't want to be in the house, everybody else was outside and playing in the snow. But Opa was sick, and couldn't go out, even though he lived outside most of the time. And I sat in the house and played piano for 3 hours for him. 
 

 That was the last time I saw him alive, and I'm SO glad I did it.
 But I still regret not doing it more. 

 I don't want that with others, so when some little thing comes along that I think is meant to annoy me, I'll remember Opa, and do it anyway. :)

 Posted on Google+ February 29 2012

In the service of my Father

       Hallie