Agent Mom

This weekend we were at our small group meeting when I heard a scream from the room where the kids were playing. And though our small group has more toddlers than a Jon & Kate episode, I immediately knew THAT scream. It was my 1-year-old. I literally leapt over the child gate and saw my daughter’s finger pinned in the frame of a closed door.

Apparently my 5-year-old daughter had gone into the restroom and unknowingly shut the door on her sister’s finger. The worst part was that, in spite of the scream, she locked the door and continued about her business!

So there I was pounding on the door, screaming “Open this door NOW!” And my sweet, usually compliant daughter kept responding “But m-o-m, I am going to the bathroom!”

As I thought about it later, I realized how strange it must have been to my 5-year-old that I was demanding she open the door at that very moment. But the next day, long after the finger had been determined not to be broken, we had a long conversation about obedience. It scared me so badly to think that in a moment of emergency, my daughter might not obey.

It really comes down to trust. My daughter has to learn to trust my judgment, even when it makes no sense.

Honestly, she gets it from me. I want to know why and when and how often…before I follow the instructions. And once I have all the info, I reserve the right to take some time and decide if I agree.

All too often the same applies to my trust in my heavenly father. I want all the facts. I can just imagine God saying, “Get off the toilet and open the door! Even though what you’re doing seems right to you, you don’t see the whole picture!”

What if as a child of God I quit explaining what I’m doing…or why I’m doing it…and just OBEYed?

I have a new secret indulgence, and surprisingly, it has to do with Martha Stewart. I can’t get enough of Fine Living Network’s show “Whatever, Martha!”

As a card-carrying member of the anti-Martha generation, it was only by accident that I stumbled upon a show all about Martha. What intrigued me was that it featured Martha’s daughter, Alexis, and her best friend actually watching and making fun of Martha’s shows. At first I found it funny but soon I started to feel sorry for Martha. How bad does your life have to get for your own daughter to make a living out of brutally critiquing your clothes, hair, and occupation?

Even though it all seemed so vicious, I just couldn’t stop watching. On this episode, the girls were making fun of Martha’s well-organized linen closet which Martha proudly proclaimed to be “a basic responsibility of every homemaker.” And they threw in so many personal (and frankly, interesting) anecdotes. Her daughter mentioned that Martha always told her, “The only thing I want for you in life is to be happy…as long as it’s on my terms!”

It wasn’t until the end of the show that I saw “Created and Executive Produced by Martha Stewart.” What?? Martha created a show to mock herself! Now I’m not naive enough to miss the fact that this all comes down to money. This is, of course, another audience and another revenue source. While I couldn’t care less to watch Martha Stewart make jewelry from dried corn, I find it irresistible to watch someone make fun of it!

But I’d have to think that there are few of us who would NEVER open themseleves up to the ridicule that this show dishes…regardless of money. So I can watch this show guilt-free knowing that Martha condones it, and I can finally say something good about Martha. In some bizarre capitalistic way, she actually knows how to laugh at herself.

I don’t really care to learn to bake luscious layer cake or to make fortune cookies out of felt, but I would like to learn to lighten up a bit and have a good laugh at myself! So thanks for the lesson, Martha.