The trouble is the early morning or late night feedings. I am stumbling, bumbling and for the life of me I can not button little dude’s pants. I’ve skipped a button or snapped a button to the other pant leg. He is fussy, crying words I know mean food. I am fussy too, crying words I can’t repeat…

Why can’t all footed pajamas have that one long zipper? In the middle of the night, I have to assume enemies gave us puppy dog pajamas. These are not friendly pups, but the hounds of…

Anyhow, I told you I could not repeat everything, and this is how life goes. Our patience is nickeled and dimed into fury.

Have you noticed how rice krispies and milk are like super glue. Leave your half eaten bowl sitting for a day – as my children kindly do – then try to scrape the remains. We thought snap, crackle, pop was the sound of milk touching krispies – but it is the sound of your fork/plate scraping milkrisp glue.

It is easy to get stuck in the cycle of choirs, errands, taxing kids, diapers, tantrums… the little mundane things stack up. My patience wears thin and soon enough it is not only kids throwing a tantrum. I am in full rant about the mountains of laundry or the pile of bills or international button conspiracies…

In these moments I need perspective. Last night I was serving at Micah Ministries. Every Monday the mission feeds and offers one set of clothes to everyone who comes. They also provide basic medical services and a hygiene kit. In the hygiene kit comes tooth paste, soap, basics – plus one roll of toilet paper. Only the past few weeks they have been running out of toilet paper.

I have worked different stations, but last night I was handing out clothing and hygiene kits. At a long  table I went down the row asking folks what they needed. Pants, socks, underwear… everyone needed something different. One person told me he was already a fine-dressed man. I got requests for cleaner and bandaids and a flashlight. But there was only one thing everyone asked for… toilet paper.

As I bumble through my life it is easy to complain. Yet, I have more than enough food. I have healthcare and a house. My family may be crazy, but they are wonderful and loving. We have enough clothes to choose zippers over buttons… and my biggest toilet paper concern is that one of our multiple bathrooms will run out, but the basement closet has rolls to spare.

So rather than rant, I am taking some of our spare TP rolls to Micah Ministry. I invite you to do the same, just drop them by the church and I will make sure they are delivered.