The Chicken Fat Lady

I am so blessed to have a wonderful job. I get to spend my day caring for some pretty incredible kids. As with any job, some days are certainly better then others. And there are some weeks that when Saturday gets here I am spent. I've given all that I can for the week and there is no more left. This past week was one of those weeks. And not even for any particular reason. My schedule was lighter then normal. The kids were all pretty well behaved. No major issues had come up but still I was just worn down. So to be honest and transparent my patience was a bit short yesterday. I don't like it when I feel that way and in the past I have even had the Holy Spirit nudge me and say "Is this really the atmosphere you want in your home?" Boy if that doesn't grab your attention to your attitude. So I really try to be more aware of how I respond to the kids. So yesterday I was tired. I had 3 kids on my schedule, my Kim wanted to go to the school carnival but I knew I couldn't do both. We are moving in the next few weeks so I was looking at my enormous list of things that I know I have to do. I was trying to find the answer to a question I had about the penny auction business that I am working for and couldn't seem to get it, atleast the answer I was getting was just making my head spin because it made no sense to me. Come to find out, the person I was asking the question to wasn't really understanding my question either. And I will admit I was counting down the time till the kids would all be picked up and I could just let it all go. Then it hit me........When their mom's get here to get them do I look like "the chicken fat lady" from the Erin Brockovich movie. If you've seen the movie you know who I'm talking about. The lady in the apartment building that when Erin goes to pick up her kids practically shoves that baby into Erin's arms and totally has this look of disgust on her face. Minus the moo-moo that she was wearing in that scene, do I look like her some days? The more I thought about this the more I realized that I have been giving so much of myself on my own and not relying on God's love, God's grace, God's strength, God's everything. I shouldn't even be giving of myself until I have no more and then asking for His help. I should be letting Him go first. I am so blessed to have this amazing job. I have the opportunity to pour into them all that God has for them. I have the opportunity to bless their mothers. And them all being in my life blesses me in so many ways. Don't let yourself become "the chicken fat lady" in the things that you have to do. Wither it be your job or any other responsibilty that you have. Let God go first in everything that you do and let everything you do bring Glory to Him. And if I am the care giver for your kids and I start to look like "the chicken fat lady" tell me ok. I won't be offended, but may need to be reminded every now and then.