I don't want to ruin it.

One of the biggest issues with my Kennyboo is that she has the grand ability to ruin every good situation with something called...The Whine. And typically she will whip out "The Whine" when something is not going her way.

I must confess that "The Whine" gets under my skin faster than anything and to say I can't stand it -would be an understatement.

The other day we had a GREAT day together. We laughed, she was happy, the world seemed to spin the way she wanted it to and yes, I felt like for the first time in her wee life that I had almost had a perfect day with her. [Cue: Oh Happy Day song]

But later that night, we were upstairs and I told her that she needed to pick up her clothes and put them in the laundry basket -something I ask her to do all the time. For whatever reason though, apparently what she heard was, "Kennedy, you will now spend 3.5 hours cleaning and the world will not continue to spin if you do not."

Really? All I said was, "Pick up your clothes."

But she started it. First it was, the look, the it was the little putter under her breath..."hmph...it's not fair." and THEN...the full out version of THE WHINE appeared..."BUT I DON'T WANT TO!!!!"

Ugh.

So, I got down on my knees and looked at her with the most fierce eyes I have ever been able to pop out[it was a proud moment] and said, "Kennedy, do NOT ruin this day. Get your clothes picked up and get over it."

And she did.

And it was over. I got that stern momma thing down! [smile]

Well, a few weeks ago I got some really exciting news.

In two weeks, I will be getting on an airplane with my friend and She Seeks coordinator, Lisa Whittle, and flying to El Salvador. We have the most incredible opportunity to do ministry with the very people who lead Compassion International. We will get to see first-hand how Compassion works and meet the precious children that are sponsored by thousands of people across the world!

But there was a tiny [huge], little [enormous] issue with me going. Despite the fact that my girls are going to have to be gypsies for that entire week [smile], I didn't have a current passport.

While the passport getting story is probably another blog in itself, you just have to know that it was one of the most trying situations in my life!

In fact so much so, that I found myself in a hissy fit in my prayer closet one morning, "God...why do you always have to be so last minute with me? I just KNOW I'm going to be so stressed out about this for the next three weeks. And Lord, that's just not fun!"

True -I had whipped out The Whine, to God.

And so I listened, to God. What I really felt God say to me in those quiet moments in my closet that morning were those very same words I had spoken to my boo days before, "Don't ruin it Nicki. Just trust me and get over it."

Ouch.

So I got over myself and trusted. A few days ago, I was checking [stalking] the Passport status website. I finally got a message that said, "Your passport is being processed expect it to be mailed on April 21st."

I could do April 21st!

But then, on Saturday April 17th...my HopeAnn came rushing inside with this envelope:


I had no clue what was inside, so I opened it up and found this:



My passport. Early. What?

Immediately the Lord washed over me as He said, "Nicki, it is I who keeps this world spinning, I control everything, even the things man says they do. Don't ever underestimate who I am."

I think the prophet Isaiah has one of the best "get-over-it" Scriptures there is:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither your ways my ways, declares the Lord." -Isaiah 55:8

And so I can trust in those wise words from Isaiah and know that I should never place a box around our God. He has no time-limit. He has no deadline.

I don't want to ruin it. I want to get over myself and trust Him. It isn't always easy and it's not always fun, but God's got it so I don't have to. And sometimes He has to remind us that He will show up...when it's His time.

Update: My friend Tammi just sent this to me...had to add it. :)