Note to Self: Read The Directions!

I have never claimed to be a smart person. But, sometimes the difference between smart and ignorant can be as simple as reading the directions.

All three of my kids have been sick this week. Finny has a cold virus, Ainslie has a middle ear infection and to finish off my week, Ella woke up with a high fever this morning. I'm pretty sure it's the flu that's going around school. This all being said, I have administered my fair share of medicine this week; Zyrtec, Tylenol, antibiotics and breathing treatments. I had to go to Walgreen's on Wednesday to pick up medicine for Ainslie's ear and those lovely people threw one of those children's syringes in the bag. (Love when they do that!)

I first encountered a syringe like this about 2 years ago. Before that, I had never seen one with the little circle piece attached to the end. I didn't give much thought about it. I didn't really know what it was for, I speculated that you could use it to hold the syringe upright, or that it covered the part that you put in the mouth. (Both rather dumb uses, now that I think about it.) But, this time when I got my free syringe, I decided to read the directions. This little plastic thingy is WAY COOL. Most of you already know, but for those people who never stopped to read the directions, you pop these into the top of your medicine bottles so you can get an air-tight seal when you put your syringe in and it helps to easily give you the correct dosage without making a mess out of your medicine, which is what I normally end up doing.

Wow! I am a complete idiot! Why didn't I ever read the instructions before!? This little device could have made my life so much easier and it's been here in my house all along!

I have come to discover the same is true of my Bible. I am attempting to read through the entire New Testament this year by following PROJECT 3:45. (This is a great site where you read a chapter a day, that on average, takes about 3 minutes and 45 seconds.) I found out about it at The Ark Church where I have been visiting recently, and it's like rediscovering a part of myself that I had left behind when I became a mother.

I have been "churched" my whole life and I even know some verses by heart. My Mom used to joke that I was at the church anytime the doors were open; youth group, youth choir, chancel choir, praise team, Bible study, VBS, mission trips. But, as a young adult I found myself becoming what I can best describe as "tired of the same old rhetoric." I believed what was preached, but I had heard it spoken by preachers the same way, over and over, using the same terminology and phrases that I became numb to it's effect. As I got married, and started having babies, it was easy for me to lose my interest in the stories of the Bible. I wanted to go to church for my kids, but not really for me.

While reading, I pray for God to continue to reveal himself to me in new and fresh ways. Right now in Project 3:45, I'm reading about the crucifixion, and it's almost like reading about Jesus in a way I never have before, even though I know I've read it many times before. It's like knowing your parents as a child, and then growing up and learning about them as an adult.

Likewise, that has been my beautiful discovery about God's word. It never changes, but we do. And, that can change the way we see Our God and what we glean from our time reading the Bible. Like that circular-thingy on the end of my syringes, I have had my Bible here all along and to read it now gives me insight and to wisdom to things I have never thought of before. Of course, I can imagine all the things God has planned for me and my family and hope to know how I would respond to the stresses of life, but it pales in comparison for HIS plan, if only I just stop to read the directions.