Circus!

On Monday night I took the kids (solo!) to the circus that was in a nearby town.  It was a small, one ring act but it was still a great life experience for Natalee and Xavier.  Some parts of it got long to them but they loved seeing the lions and elephants and thought the trampoline act was hilarious (and I'm again glad we have a net on ours!).

I follow a blog written by Linny called A Place Called Simplicity.  On more than one occasion she has written posts about how she has prayed specifically for a need in their family and believed God would deliver and He did.  Her way of praying is quite biblical, written about in James 1, yet so many (me included) often have trouble praying and believing, without a shadow of a doubt, that God will see you through.

Silly as it sounds, the night of the circus, I could have easily talked myself out of taking the children.  Mike was working late and it was a dreary, rainy day.  However, I knew how much my big kids would enjoy the treat so I got around while they were napping and packed snacks, laid out clothes, nursed the baby, etc.  When they woke I surprised them with where we were going and helped them get ready.  About the time we were ready to load in the van a storm cloud let loose with torrents of rain.  Here I stand, ready to load a 5 & 3 year old plus a 6 week old baby in the van to go to a circus (indoors, but still) and it's pouring.  Remembering James 1 and Linny's advice I simply said, "oh God, please let this rain let up long enough for me to get the children in the van, unloaded when we get to the circus and reloaded when it's over.  Please don't make me do this in the pouring rain."  

You can call it coincidence, but I won't, that all night long the rain alternated pouring (thunder and lightening) & showing bits of sunshine, but every time we needed to step foot outside of the van, the sky cleared so we could get where we needed without getting soaked.  

Not only that, but when we got to the circus the seating in the front of the ring was pretty full, especially for a mama with 3 small kids, so I had resigned myself to us sitting on the side, until a young college-aged couple, who did not speak English well, motioned to me that the bench in front of them was free (I assumed they were saving it because their stuff was on it).  Guess where that bench was?  Smack.dab. in front of the ring.  Two rows from the floor.  We couldn't have gotten better seats if we'd been an hour early!

We had a great time!

 

 

 

 

Remember, to find God in your small moments as well as your big ones.  He's there.  Even at the circus.