Spilled Milk

It was December 27 in the aftermath of our Christmas festivities.  My mom and my sister were on their way to our home in Pennsylvania from their abode in Virginia to celebrate some more.  My husband, Eric, was with our oldest son at the DMV waiting in line to take the the driver's test.  The three younger kids were in the living room playing video games when I asked if they would like some goat's milk hot cocoa.  We had brought home our first freshened does in May, and they were now bred, and the first one dried off.  Our milk supply was getting low since we were only milking one dwarf goat at the time, but it seemed like a good idea to make hot cocoa anyway.  I may have been mistaken. 

I emptied the current pitcher into the hot chocolate maker and proceeded to wash it and fill it from the next waiting jar.  Usually I just wash whatever is stuck on the sides down the drain, but I have been watching how Eric is careful to scape the jar into the pitcher and decided that I should be too.  I reached for a spatula, and as I tipped the jar up the pitcher full of milk slipped and fell over.  As the creamy white liquid ran down the counter and onto the floor while seeping into the drawers, the pitcher rolled to the floor as well.  I stood watching in bewilderment as the puddle of milk made its way to the gap under the oven.  My children came to the kitchen to see what the commotion was all about. 

There was really nothing that could be done except for cleaning up the mess.  Austin and Heather tried to pitch in and did a few errands for me, but for the most part I just worked at it til it was done.  No one was hurt.  No glass was broken.  Nothing was really ruined except the milk which we had worked several days for.  I was rather upset with myself for my clumsiness, but what could I do besides learn from my mistake and try to be more careful in the future.  It was only spilled milk after all.  

While I was cleaning up the mess I heard my daughter complain excessively about something her brother was doing in the game they were playing.  I admit that I laid into her and told her to suck it up.  Her problem seemed so small compared to mine.  I also reminded her though that my problem was so much smaller than the one someone else we know is facing.  She is in the hospital suffering from physical injuries, and the loss of a loved one. They were recently in an automobile accident.  Really, there are so many people in this world who are suffering physically and emotionally that I feel ashamed for letting something as small as spilled milk get to me.  

Come March, Lord willing, there will be adorable goat kids to play with and three mommas giving all the milk we need for many months.  In the mean time we will have to supplement with milk from the grocery store a little sooner than we expected.  That will make Heather happy, though she did feel bad for me about the incident in the kitchen, she really hasn't gotten used to goats milk yet.  I will also hold off on drying up the other goat until we need to. It will only be another week or two then she will need to rest for two months while her babies grow to full term.  Some days just aren't the best, but when we put things into perspective they're a lot better than they seem.  

My mom and my sister weren't having their best day either.  They got stuck in some really slow traffic, but that's a story for them to tell.  

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.