A Pirate's Life for Me: I want it my way

Emma sits on the chair in the corner of the room. She is in the midst of a breakdown. Tears are streaking her face; I can't help but smile. She's playing pirates with her Daddy and he has just commandeered her pirate ship. He kneels across from her, desperately trying to explain it's part of the game. He's begging her to fight him back. She agrees and her pirates are temporarily successful. But as soon as she begins to battle, her ship is seized once again and Emma melts away to another breakdown. We try again to explain this is how you play... It doesn't always go your way...


Yesterday, our crazy dog had surgery. He has been in need of this procedure for some time now. We have put it off to save the money for it. But in the midst of the surgery, the doctor has found our crazy Cooper has a problem with his liver. After hearing this news, I fall back into my chair in the corner and complain. How can we handle financially to care for an ailing dog? But how could I look at him and my blessings and think of putting him down?


Later, I pick up Cooper with the three blessings, all are very excited & still very naive to possible impending doom. As we wait in the still truck for our young pup to rejoin our family, I admire a very large tree. It's leaves & arms begin to sway to the wind and then to the music that fills our cab. Come and see, look on this mystery, the LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, is nailed to a tree. Fernado Ortega, once again, reminds me of where my focus needs to be. Not on finances, not on our crazy dog, but on my Lord.

Moving on from the disappointment of the pirates, Emma has set up another train in our dining room. Many of her animals are on the Emma-express, myself included. She asks me to drive the train for awhile, but I am reluctant too. I tell her I am too scared to take over the train; I am really just lazy and don't want to get up and switch seats with her. She looks at me, with her stunning yellow eyes and her head tilted to the side, she gently reassures me:
It's ok, Mom. Do you want me to press the EASY button?

Yes! Yes! Please press the EASY button! Can we? With every worry that currently invades my small mind!

But there I go again... Drifting away from my focus on Christ. Life will just continue on; things will be constantly thrown at us. But... It is when my eyes are fixed upon my Savior, that is when everything else will fall into place. And then, I don't have to throw my fit in the corner when the pirates hijack my ship...

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:37