Lessons learned

Yesterday was my wife's birthday. I started the day off as I would like to be my normal routine (read: it's not my normal routine) with a prayer before the day starts. And things went wrong. I've learned that, when things go wrong, it's the enemy attacking your faith to see how you respond. Unfortunately, if you do well during a minor attack, he comes back with a bigger attack.

I'm a geek. I have a small domain running with a web server and shared storage and printing. It's cool stuff. Only one printer for three computers. My Documents is stored on a server. Cool.

I'm also somewhat of a control freak with my kids. I expect them to obey. When they don't obey - oboy! Following directions falls into this category as well.

Finally, I'm also notorious for my temper. I've thrown large furniture and laser printers. Yeah, my kids know when they've crossed the line.

Well, mes-a day started off pretty okee-day with a brisky mornin munchy... wait, wrong movie...

Yesterday started pretty good. Kids got up at 7:30, watched Sesame Street and we started lessons. But today's lessons were going to be doing math on mixing up a cake, reading the directions (!) and decorating 101. We started making the cake - went pretty well - then put it in the oven. We also started hanging decorations. (No, an inch is this much tape. That's more like five inches.)


Bang! First problem - VOIP doesn't work. After much troubleshooting (I had to ask my wife some questions - she's a baker), I finally figured it out. My router died. So, I by-passed the router and got the phone working. By this time, (small bang - second problem) the cake was poking about four inches above the cake pan. It wasn't over-flowing, just sticking out the top. My wife said, "Don't worry about it."

We got the cake out to let it cool and started making icing from scratch according to my wife's recipe. Some cream cheese, some butter, some evaporated milk and a lot of 10x confectioner's sugar. Bang! Third problem - no butter. I called her up, "Yes, margarine will work." Bang! The icing isn't white! I called her again, "Put in more sugar." Bang! Too runny and we're out of confectioner's sugar. "Keep whipping it."

I'm starting to feel stress. But I'm not losing it. But the kids are sensing it and the oldest knows it's time to lay low.

I let her start icing the cake. She does very well. We had planned to put a smiley face (a la "Have a nice day" from the 70's) on the top. It was her idea. The phone rang. I told her to put a black circle on the cake and answered the phone. When I came back, BANG! she had drawn a face on the cake. I told the person on the phone "My daughter can't follow directions to save her life!" I was rather upset about this. Then I remembered - this is her day to give something to her Mommy, and calmed down.

I sat down and got the computer back online. I began to look up coupons for the restaurant. My daughter came over to apologize. I told her she was doing good, I was wrong. And she accepted my apology. The attack ended. The rest of the day was hunky-dory and happy.

"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it."

1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message

God allowed Satan to test me because Satan wanted me to respond with what used to be a very common temper tantrum. I'm sorry - adults call it an outburst, but I think it's a tantrum. It didn't happen. Satan kept pushing my buttons. I came close, but - by the grace of God - it didn't happen.

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Luke 22:31-32, NIV

This verse was addressed to the apostles, particularly Peter, in the time right before Christ's crucifixion. I can testify that Satan still tries to sift Christ's followers. The goal of the enemy is to do whatever is necessary to turn us from our faith. When that happens, he's won.

It is only through regular prayer and studying the Word that I have been able to maintain a cap on my rage. Satan attacked, and God gave me the strength to remain faithful.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I try to start my day with prayer. I'm getting better. Yesterday is a good example of why it's important.