Earth Shakin'

After many brain things pondering in my head, it was decided that we would be "minimalist" this year.  By that I mean we would stick with activities that have worked for us in the past and as we learned our way around the area. Then we would decide whether to "abandon" our routine and/or add to it.  Thus there will be no co-ops, no groups just us girls.  

Truth be told we really do need that and the "closed doors" were serving as a reminder of it. I am not kidding when I tell you that when people would tell me about the things that they are involved in I would panic thinking that my girls were going to miss out. Then I'd find myself in the wee hours of the night reading about these co-ops, activities and NO JOKE my hair would hurt from thinking about what we should do! A move is something a woman feels and let me tell you when it came to where we will plug into I have felt it.

Thankfully, the Lord in His wisdom intervened. In CO, I was a brand new homeschooler and I worried (I use that term loosely) about socialization.  The Lord quickly showed me that socializing was the least of our concerns and therefore I was able to successfully manage our schedule.  Here in VA it became a matter of trying to plug us into the right environment, the "where do we fit in?" came into play and therefore since there are so many choices it quickly became an overwhelming task.  I was feeling this "performance pressure" that quite frankly I had no business feeling.  But if we are honest with ourselves we come to the place where we do compare our "school" achievements to "other kids" and if we don't cut the dragon's head off early, we will live in that vicious cycle.  

I digress (boy did I ever, LOL!), the girls and I were headed into DC for our very first field trip. We had visited the American History Museum in April/2010 but my children were clearly not paying attention and "missed" a couple of items that suddenly they have an interest for.  What items you ask? Dorothy's ruby slippers and Fonzie's jacket (they've seen reruns of Happy Days).  I reminded them that we saw all these items but they couldn't remember and thought it would be cool to kick off they year by visiting a museum.  Therefore a trip to the great land of OZ was in order besides I thought it would be a fun way to kick-off our school year.  Oh boy was it ever...

We were supposed to be meeting friends at the Pentagon later that afternoon and right when we arrived at the Smithsonian guess who realized she forgot her ID? That would be me.  Try getting into one of the most secure buildings in the world without an ID, not happening.  I had to quickly create plan B.  We head to the Smithsonian and check out the ruby slippers but no jacket? WHAT?!! They had just moved it a week prior.  We keep along our merry tour and check out transportation.  We are in an old subway train and enjoying the simulation.  We step out and decide we need to go meet up with my husband so he can feed them while I go retrieve my ID.  We stop inside the museum shop and that's when it happened...

Anais was showing me a shot glass with my name on it.  I look up and a wall of items is shaking, it looked like they were all going to fall over but then they "returned" to their spot.  I looked at Anais and said, "cool trick."  Then I see this man RUNNING, like he was on fire out of the building.  I look to the person next to me and very nonchalantly asked, "was that an earthquake?" the response was a resounding "YES!"  Alrighty then.  

The girls and I calmly step outside and you could just see (and hear) the panic. I look at my girls, who are just about as calm as can be and say "OK, girls let's hold hands, stay together and get away from the panicking people."  We headed to the Metro.  I could see the crowds forming around the Mall (Smithsonian) and mostly everyone is panicking. My husband and I were able to connect at the Metro. I was able to pass off the girls as I continued to my car to retrieve my ID.  I did. I got back on the train and met up with our friends and enjoyed a tour of the Pentagon.  It's a good thing too. I  later learned that people were abandoning cars in the street and in their panic were (obviously) making things worse.  Apparently it was a fiasco to try to get out of town.  All the while people were in "panic" we are all taking a leisurely stroll inside the Pentagon.  

As a result of the earthquake the ride in the Metro was painfully slow. I had not had anything to eat and I had a massive headache which later I realized was attributed to not having my daily dosage of caffeine (it's my drug of choice).  As if driving at 15 MPH wasn't bad enough, the driver felt compelled to add to the torture by slamming on the breaks!! WHY?! People are walking faster than we are!!  Here I am on an empty stomach with a headache going 15 MPH to retrieve my ID and I have to submit myself to this "torture" twice. First thing I did was find some food, LOL!

After our Pentagon tour we headed back home all together, unfortunately the trains were still "running slow" (isn't that an oxymoron) again, we were on the 15 MPH train with the slamming of the breaks!! What is it with these drivers and having to slam the breaks?!  There went my dinner.  By the time we made it to my husband's car I couldn't take it anymore and I lost my dinner.  The earthquake wasn't bad at all when you put it in (my) perspective, it was the train ride! LOL!

Here's the "perspective" I came away with.  People's natural instinct was to panic.  I can honestly tell you I didn't.  It felt like a foreshadow of things to come.  The line from "Our God is an Awesome God" kept playing in my head -- "there's thunder in His footsteps and lightening in His fist."  When God returns, if I am so fortunate to be alive to witness it, I want to feel the peace I felt during this earthquake.  I was able to separate myself and the girls from the "panicking people" and we calmly went to our destination and continued on with our plans. All the while, panic is overhead, people are abandoning their cars, traffic is a nightmare and we are exactly where we should be enjoying a peaceful stroll.  When God returns and He will.  Those of us who have accepted His gift will be set apart and we will be enjoying that peaceful stroll (minus the slamming breaks and upchucking your dinner).  How sweet!  We won't have the cares of this world but rather we will be safely with our Father.  There's just something blissfully awesome about knowing that.

Although I didn't "feel" the earthquake I did "see" the effects of it.  I'm so glad I am HIS because it will be peaceful when He comes.  So the question is, will you be in the panic seat or will you be in perfect peace when He comes?

You will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. ~ Isaiah 26:3