Temptation vs. Tests

What’s Jack up to? Jack’s been busy this weekend trying hard to get his fair share of attention through the ups and downs of family mess and me just being dog tired. He’d come over to my side of the bed as I’d lay there not wanting to move and give a low whisper woof and a little nudge of the bed. Then when I didn't move he’d amp it up to a whine and a shove until finally it was an all out bark and, “get up woman and get me out side!”

This has been a week of strife. Finally on Saturday night I sent out this tweet in frustration:
“If this is all a test- I'll take my F now. Washing machine breaks down full of wet clothes. Blow dryer takes out half the lights in my house”

It just seems that it’s all been one big pile on after another. I’m sure many of you out there know how that is especially if you have kids and extra especially if you have teens. We won't even get into the "R" word.

The young adult novel that I’m working on is just right about there. So close to done, but really not done because it’s in the editing stage. The toughest stage of all for me. When I’m getting feedback from my critique partners that can make the fragile neurotic writer in me quickly turn into the stereotypical doom and gloom alkie.

Thankfully, things happen to give me that much needed push to go on and away from the bottle. Whew!

I was wiped out on Sunday with a migraine and didn’t want to go to church but the DD did. I think to see friends. So I got up and out. There was a guest preacher, the mother of one of the ministers on our staff.

The young minister got up to introduce his mom and the way he spoke just warmed my heart. Speaking off the cuff about the woman who, “had to lay Godly hands on him” when he was almost kicked out of school as a young boy, but was the smartest and best woman he knows. I laughed and knew I was there for a reason.

Then she opened her mouth and started to speak about being Tested versus being Tempted. That confirmed it. Headache or not, yep, I was in the right place. The words that got me were that temptation is put forward for you to fail. A Test is set up for you to pass. I’ve never thought of it that way.

I’ve been tempted plenty of times to give up on things like hard projects or diets or worse this writing dream. Saying, it’s too hard I can’t do it, I’m not talented enough. But it’s all just really a test. And like I tell my children, there are no shortcuts and I must keep persevering until I pass this and all my other tests.

I know I will.

Have you been Tempted lately? Think of it as just a Test. One you can Ace!

Just as a but of added conformation my DD got word late in the evening that she made Dance Company (remember the audition a few weeks ago). She didn't make it last year but as a mom I didn't let her give up and her spirit didn't let her either. She passed the test.

Best,

Kwana