Sunday morning at church, I greeted a young mom with, "How was your week?" She said that her morning had a bit of a rough start.

She had been trying to get breakfast on the table. Her newborn was yelling as only newborns can. Her one-and-a-half-year-old was squawking, tugging on Mom's clothes. Daddy was in the shower.

"So, what did you do?" I asked, thinking of choices: packing/leaving, putting the kids in a room and shutting the door, sitting down for a cry, banging on the bathroom door.

"Well, going for Tylenol wasn't an option! So, I took a deep breath and prayed. Then, I decided to just listen to the symphony while I finished getting breakfast (so at least we would get something to eat). After that, I'd take care of everybody's needs."

This is not a new theme. Its variations are played daily. (In my "baby" years, the "Unfinished Symphony" was my favourite--unfinished laundry, dishes...). Still, in each one of our orchestras, the Lord is such a constant help (and He doesn't wear earplugs!) that He can pick out our weakest cry during the daily discordant times--even during the cymbal crashes.

"Bow down Thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy." Psalm 86:1