Being Boss

Every Tuesday after school I baby-sit for my neighbors kids. There's three of them. Today was a particularily nice Tuesday so I put them all in rubber boots and shipped them outside. They immediately gravitated towards this giant mud puddle in the middle of the yard. They were very careful not to splash and were terribly concerned about getting stuck in the mud. Needless to say, they very quickly stopped playing in the puddle. They decided to show me their new sandbox. Ever since I was little I have absolutely loved sandboxes so the sight of heaps and heaps of sand contained in a wooden box made me smile. I was suddenly quite excited to begin playing in the sand. But first they had to show me all of their creations which to me looked like a bunch of sporatically placed holes, but to them were volcanoes and campfires. They made sure that I would not wreck them. They took up most of the sandbox, but I managed to find a little corner. I began by packing sand into those little containers that are shaped like tractors and feet and stuff and made a whole city of shapes. I very quickly filled my alloted space so, like the kid I am, I decided to destroy them. I found much pleasure in squishing them and feeling the sand run between my fingers. I may be a kid at heart, but I am still a baby-sitter, so I naturally looked up to see what the kids were doing.

I discovered that they had organized a little construction site. It consisted of two kids digging holes, and one sitting in a toy car and chisling at a rock with an old screw. I decided that I would join in and picked up a tiny toy spade and began digging. As soon as they saw me digging it was almost as if the game had truly started. The little girl chirped, "Let's play work!" and then in her deepest manliest voice, "I'm the boss, get to work!" Her older brother quickly proceeded to tell her that he was actually the boss because he was bigger than her. The little girl reluctantly agreed and started to work. I smiled at their organization and continued to dig. At this point I had created a fairly deep hole and I could see the young girl constantly looking over at it. All of a sudden she was standing right over me and spoke using her big boss voice and said, "Keep digging, if you don't work right you will go to jail!" Now I have been baby-sitting these kids long enough to know that any game that involves a jail ALWAYS means that there will be tears and hitting and screaming. Since I wanted to avoid this at all costs I quickly started digging faster. The oldest boy, our boss, quickly let me and his sister know that HE was the boss. The little girl lowered her head and said, "Oh yeah" She had just been reminded that she was not in control of this game, she could just do as she was told. As the game continued she kept trying to be the boss and trying to be in control, but each time her brother reminded her that she was not the boss.

I can't help but put myself in the position of the little girl who kept wanting to be boss. I always find myself trying to control everything. I like to be the leader and I like to have things go my way. What I especially struggle with is letting God be my boss. I often find myself thinking, "God, I know you're in control and all, but I think it would be best if you give me this RIGHT now" or "God, I know you're the boss, but for tonight I am going to be my own boss and I am going to to everything my way." For a lot of people being your own boss is what seems right to you. I understand that, but for me I am a christian and I believe that God is my father and I believe that He always knows what's best for me. From experience I have learned that as soon as I try to take control, everything goes awry and everything falls apart. What I have also learned is that everytime I try to take control, God always gently reminds me that He is boss and He knows whats best because He is bigger than me. Just like the kids I baby-sit for.

Unfortunately I have an important meeting to attend (Yes, as a matter of fact a 16 year old CAN have an important meeting) So I must cut my thought life short, but I do hope this gives you something to think about. Let God be in control of your life...Or, in the famous words of Carrie Underwood, let Jesus take the wheel!