Be careful what you ask for ’cause you just might get it. You know, there’s a reason cliches become cliche; there’s a life truth behind the worn out phrase, and it is repeatedly expressed and affirmed because…. well, … it’s true! Case in point, my afternoon…

I have been praying for a greater focus on my girls – a greater concentration of my time, my energy, my creativity, etc… As a very task-oriented person, I can very easily and happily fill my day getting stuff done. I, like perhaps many of you, have to be intentional about having quality time with my children. It is so the desire of my heart to pour all I have into them; it’s not my natural bent though, I have to admit. So, I’ve been praying about that, especially with the aroma of summer wafting on the breeze (two half days of school remaining).

Around 4:20 I asked the girls if they would like to go to the park, and both jumped on the opportunity. We began the clean up, potty, pack snacks and drinks, gather the sand toys, grab the cell phone, appropriate shoe choice rigmarole. Twenty-five minutes later we walked out the door, and a nanosecond later I realized I had just locked us out of the house. I immediately turned around to glance through the door window to see my keys properly hanging on their key hook. And not only that, the emergency-secret-hidden-if-you-get-locked-out-key was improperly hanging right beside them. Oh well, …

Ordinarily, Chris would have been home soon, but not tonight. He wasn’t expected home for hours and hours. I have an aunt who lives in my neighborhood, but we have neglected to give her a key for just this kind of occasion. My sister works in town, but she always uses the emergency-secret-hidden-if-you-get-locked-out-key, which may in fact explain why it is not in its hiding place (when all else fails, blame the little sister :-). My mom had the nearest key, which was forty-five minutes away. She graciously drove over after work and rescued us.

But as soon as the realization hit and a plan was in place to remedy the situation, I saw this for what it was – an opportunity to spend some time with my girls. An opportunity with no options for folding laundry, preparing for school tomorrow, pecking on the computer, etc… We headed to the back yard with our drinks and snacks to swing. I set up a little snack shop; the girls rode bikes; we went for a little walk; the sky was overcast and windy which made for perfect emergency-locked-out weather. My mom came over, and the four of us grabbed dinner. Funny thing is – the afternoon was better than if I had planned it myself.

Life can be like that a lot, don’t you think?