Lessons in Vermacelli

First posted, oh, several years ago. I need this message as much today!

Lessons in Vermicelli

No, this is not going to be a cooking lesson. I'm *not* the person to come to for cooking lessons, lol! And bear with me on this one, there is a lot of background I need to take you through to make just a little point.

A few days ago, the girls and I were reading a new book we got at the library book sale. It was a version of the story of Jonah by Peter Spier. In this particular version, the author made it clear that Jonah was choosing not to listen to God's *very obvious* call for his life (to go to Ninevah and tell them to repent or God would destroy the city) and that Jonah was instrumental in God's plan for the Ninevites whom He loved as he loves all people. I remember thinking, "Wow, what guts he had (in a bad way) to just 'dis' God's obvious call for his life and go the complete opposite way. How can a person do that! I would never do that if I knew so obviously was God's will for me was."

Also, I've been sick and getting sicker all week. Dh now has to go help his mother in the hospital for the first of her two hip surgeries - he'll be gone for 4-5 days and I'm wondering how to survive the time with three kids, pregnant, and sick. Every time he has to go help his family, I seem to have a crisis or bad illness and he is not there to help. I do not blame him for this, but it happens every time and keeps on happening - no one is here for me, and he is there with other family members and nurses/doctors to help whoever is sick in his family.

I get very angry about this, although I know I am wrong to do so. Dh was supposed to go two weekends from now (when things would have been easier) but plans had to change, which again throws me for a loop.

So that is the mood I'm in when dh comes home last night and tells me he is also feeling sick. I flipped out!! This started going through my head, "Now, he's sick, I'm sick - both head cold and pregnant wise, the house still needs taking care of, everyone needs to be taken care of, day and night, and it's all falling to me - and dh is going to get better and leave me, most likely STILL sick because I can't get any rest. It's so unfair!!!!! Whaaaaaaaahh!!!"

I sulked through dinner. By the time it came to me to clean up after a huge mess of pasta dinner (here's where the vermicelli comes in!) I was in tears and banging pots around, grumbling and crying, complaining to God about "How could You? How am I going to do this? I don't want to do this. It's not fair. I'm not going to be the only one doing all the work." I put the baby's pasta covered high chair try on the counter and go find a tissue to blow my nose.I come back in the kitchen and look at the high chair tray.

"Written" with the vermicelli (it's like thin spaghetti) was one word:

JONAH.

I kid you not.

I stopped dead in my tracks.
I stopped crying.
I stopped grumbling.

I was humbled."How can a person ignore God's 'so obvious' call" indeed! Isn't taking care of my family, whether I'm sick or not, God's call for my life, an obvious one if I just open my eyes to see it? Whatever happens in this week and next is God's call for me, God's will. I need to be careful not to be like Jonah on his way to Tarshish.

Wouldn't want to be swallowed by a big fish or anything...

If I stop blogging you'll know what happened, lol!