Rachel is handling a household of three boys while her husband is overseas. Her latest trial includes having to choose between abandoning her children and burning the house down. Life is seldom easy for the single parent…

You think I would have learnt from my mistakes, but I guess I'm a bit slow.  This incident happened last term" ..

I went to pick up the boys from the bus stop and popped the dinner in the oven before I left. The oven was warm from baking muffins and we were having an early dinner due to Josh's bass lesson and the swimming carnival. I waited at the bus stop for half an hour and no kids. I was starting to get anxious (mumbling prayer to the Lord) and I realised that I’d left my mobile phone at home.

Then thinking a bit more, I suddenly remember that this is not the day they’re traveling by bus! The boys are actually waiting at school for me to pick them up because Josh had to take his bass guitar in this morning for a lesson. Aaarrggghhh!!!!! 

So I drive like a mad woman to the school, berating myself for forgetting, and praying that they will be alright. There’s also a really practical part of me that is realising the boys will have been ushered to after school care and that to add insult to injury my forgetfulness will now cost me $45!!  “At least they are safe,” I tell myself. “Thank God for that.”

Then I remember that dinner is merrily cooking away in the oven and that the house may well be on fire!!!

The rest happens pretty fast, as you can imagine… Pick up kids, have an emotional release (I cry!! Boys very understanding and figured that I had forgotten!), drive like a mad woman again back home and rescue dinner. It was edible, not quite black but very crispy. Our leisurely afternoon before this day’s music lesson turns into a frantic twenty minutes but we got out of the house with everything we needed and were back on track for the rest of the afternoon’s activities.

Phew!!! What a drama!!

But did it leave a lasting impression?

Well, I did it again!!  Though, this time I did NOT have dinner in the oven, and I did have my phone with me.  The boys just rolled their eyes at me. "Mum, were you waiting at the bus stop again?”

My problem is that I forget what day it is.  I can tell you that on Thursday I pick up the boys from school, but actually remembering when Thursday is" that's a bit harder.  The boys forgave me again, and it reminded me that God forgives me every time I stuff up and for that I'm eternally grateful.