There was a Time . . .

It's been said that true life is stranger than fiction . . . and there are day's that true life is funnier than anything your imagination could make up. Last night was one of those nights.

Becky stayed at church for choir and Aidan stayed with her to hang with friends. As I was driving home from church with Noah, Titus, Tucker, Cade, and Nurse Lisa, Tucker announces from the back seat, "I gotta go to the bathroom".

Dad: "Tucker, you will have to wait till we get home."
Tucker: "But Dad, I gotta go Big Poo!"
Dad: "You can hold it."
Noah: "Maybe you can stop along the side of the road and he can go just like the dogs".
Dad glaring through the rearview mirrow: "Noah, that's not helping".
Tucker: "Dad, I REALLY GOTTA GO!"
Dad: "Son, you can make it."


Well, Tucker wasn't the only one who needed a restroom. All through Bible Study, I had been sipping on a Big Gulp of Diet Coke, and my bladder finally indicated it was about as full as it was going to get. But I am an adult - I can hold it without announcing it to everyone in the car.


We pull in the garage and it takes 5 minutes for everyone to get out of the car. Why it takes Tucker and Cade 5 minutes to get out of the Suburban when both of them had stated they needed a restroom, I do not know. I do know that Cade had to get out of the backseat first before Tucker could get out, and I do believe he was using this little bit of control as a show of power over his older brother.


I unbuckle Titus and take him to his room while Lisa begins his nighttime routine of therapy and meds.


I take the puppy outside since he's barking incessantly and he also needs to go. I come back in the house to go the bathroom and the hall bathroom door is shut. Cade announces he is in there. I go to my bedroom and to use my own bathroom, but Tucker announces he is in there. Noah (the ever helpful 2nd born) announces that I should go upstairs. My legs were shaky enough at this point that I informed him I was not walking upstairs and should have priority over my own bathroom.


And then I hear this from Tucker behind the bathroom door, "Dad, I pooped on the floor".


"You did WHAT?"


"I couldn't hold it and it slipped out and I pooped on the floor".


At this point, I'm not sure what came over to me, but in disbelief I told him to open the door and show me.


And, yes, sure enough, there it was.


And this is when my mind went into a deja vu fog of what my life use to be.


There was time I lived in a spotless, immaculate house with a perfect weed-free lawn. Now, I step over legos and dog toys scattered all over the house and stare in disbelief at the weeds that have taken over my back yard.


There was a time when I drove a luxury sports coupe and enjoyed the envied stares I would get as I drove by. Now, I drive a mini-van with stow-n-go seats (and no one stares in envy except the occasional soccer mom).


There was a time my evenings were quiet, I could sit in a comfortable chair, and I ruled the remote control. Now, I sit in the back of the living room while my two oldest lounge on the sofas with a grip on the remote control.


There was a time I went to the movies and enjoyed the entire experience of surround sound and large screen action. Now, I go to the movies once a year with 4 boys to see an animated feature but I miss portions of it shuttling little ones to the bathroom.


There was a time I bought clothes that were NOT on sale - if I saw it and I liked it, I bought it. Now, I shop twice a year, at Dillards end-of-season 75% off sale (and if I'm lucky I hit the additional 30% off weekend).


All of these thoughts flooded my mind as I stared at floor. Tucker finished his business, and ran off to bed, and I knelt on the floor to clean up the mess (and mop the floor, and scrub my hands). An hour ago, I had been emailing a senior Vice President on salary and bonus bands for job categories, and now, I'm on my knees scrubbing the floor - such is life.


I Thessalonians 4:11 states to "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands"
There was a time when life was all about me, all about what I wanted, all about my pursuit of happiness. And that was part of the problem - it was all about me. It took years for me to realize that life was not about me, not about seeking attention for myself, not about getting what I wanted.


There is a joy in serving others. As a husband, I will do anything for my wife - go to any lengths. As a dad, I love my boys like nothing else in this world and will protect them, serve them, (and yes, clean up after them). And as a Christ-follower, I long to see the world through his eyes so that I may serve Him and serve others.


So I smile, I laugh, and I enjoy the life and surroundings that God lets me experience.