Crushed Cheerios coated their tiny milk-drenched feet as we cleaned up the result of the explosion of toddler frustration that followed my final, “No, ma’am!” Of all mornings to have a melt-down, my first day at my new job as a solo-mom.
Did I mention my hair was in hot rollers and also coated with a gooey mixture of hairspray and the cheerios marinade? I felt exactly like those cheerios – spilled, crushed, and trampled on. In that moment of holding it together so the children wouldn’t see me break, I heard the Father speak in the voice of my 4-year-old. She confidently said, “Izzokay, Mommy, izzo-ripe. You sayd Jesus cleans up our messes.” My pre-k daughter’s confident words reminded of this verse in Isaiah:
Come now, let us settle the matter,‘ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…(Isaiah 1:18)
He settled the matter. Spilled Cheerios, illness, sin, He settled it all.
And just like that, I was late to my first day of work.
My reason? I was held up by lots of hugging on the kitchen floor. My new boss completely understood.
