Buckets

It's funny how on work days at 8 am I cannot wait for 5 pm to come. Then at 5 pm I think oh let this next 15 minutes go super slow! Why you question. Well those 15 minutes on my drive home from work are the most peaceful moments of my day. Fifteen minutes of music and prayers. Fifteen minutes till the craziness begins. It is my recharge time. And as I arrive to pick up my much missed kiddos I almost have to say- Ready, set, GO! See having a 7, 6, and 2 year old means never a dull moment, no time to relax. It's Mommy I need this, Mommy can we do a project, Steppy is it time to eat yet, Mommy I need help, Mommy, Steppy, Mom, Mom, Mom! Just going from the car to the house drains me some days. Drew get your bag, Ella close the car door, quit arguing!!! And it's no calmer once in the door. I remind myself deep breaths Mom- remember you overslept this morning and the house was left a mess. The rush begins- pick up, start laundry, fix dinner, go over schoolwork, and entertain 3 wild monkeys at the same time. Ahh- when is Matt going to be home- how I love the days he is off work before me and picks up the kids. Well Tuesday Matt had choir practice so it was just me and the munchkins. I was rushing around gathering laundry from well- EVERYWHERE in my house and my sweet observant stepdaughter made my day. "Steppy I'm only 6, but I know better than Dad where my dirty clothes go!" Gee if she can see this then maybe she can teach miss Lucy who loves to take her clothes and diaper off at random times throwing them anywhere and everywhere as she runs thru the house yelling "I'm nakie!" I giggled and tried to explain Dad knows- but there is a difference in knowing and doing. And if he is helping me with laundry I better not complain where he puts the laundry. Then Ella said the oddest thing- dumbfounded me. "Well Steppy that is because I'm a bucket filler." Now I'm wondering is she talking about the laundry basket???? What does she mean???? Bucket filler??? I think the grin on my face made her giggle. I asked her what she meant and she proceeded to explain that she had learned it at school. It means that if you do something helpful or right you fill the bucket. And when you do the wrong thing or cause a problem you empty the bucket. Hmm- still was not sure what to make of this bucket thing- but I told Ella she was definitely a bucket filler. That little sweetheart is the BEST helper I could ask for. She is just so full of love and always wants to help. Well I couldn't get this bucket thing out of my mind. Made me question am I a bucket filler or emptier? And in what context? Marriage? Friendship? Parenting? Workplace? What about God's bucket? Do I fill it or empty it? Do I share his love or hoard it? Do I follow his direction or chose my own path? Do I trust him or doubt him? When things are bad do I run away or be embraced by God? I can almost hear Jason saying- What would it look like? How would you fill God's bucket? Then I remembered what I told Ella- there is a difference between knowing and doing. Knowing his love is not sharing his love. Knowing his grace is not extending his grace. Knowing his amazingness is not praising it. Wow- life lesson from my 6 year old. See Ella fills God's bucket. She treats everyone with love. She forgives. She praises God in her prayers and actions. She is as Jamie Grace sings " A God Girl- from the top of her head to the soles of her feet." She trusts God even when it is difficult. See when Ella is worried about something you can see it in her eyes but she does not hide from it- she prays. Ella notices God, notices people, notices love. That is how we fill God's bucket. We love. We forgive. We share. We trust. We praise. We notice. Come join us at More Than More. Notice with us. Fill a bucket. We will be meeting Thursday March 6th at 6:45-800 pm at McAllister Recreation Center, just off 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette. Amazing childcare for all ages is available. And one of the best bucket fillers I know will be encouraging the teens. Don't miss it!