I have to admit that taking my kids to the park was one of my least favorite activities. The problem for me was the mundane nature of the whole experience. Honestly…it seemed so boring.

The routine went like this: I’d pull up, open the car door, unbuckle the child(ren) from their car seats, and they’d race screaming toward the playground, Phoebe Buffay style.

The next hour was spent circling the playground equipment, dutifully watching when someone yelled, “Mommy, watch this!” It also involved close monitoring of whatever disgusting item might be buried in the gravel from the night before.

(As we are all fully aware, the park isn’t always solely occupied by children, especially after nightfall.)

Finally, I was always on high alert for potential kidnappers lurking amongst the trees. I was exhausted by the time we left because my senses were in full overdrive. 

If you happen to enjoy a park experience, then I’m really happy for you. I’m just saying we all have different gifts.

One random afternoon, our mundane, seemingly insignificant visit to the park transformed into quite a story.

At one point, one of my girls announced she had to go potty. RIGHT NOW.

I’m not sure why this particular park didn’t come equipped with restrooms. However, I did notice a port-a-potty located at the end of the long sidewalk just near the parking lot. 

I made sure to give my girls ample warning: Do NOT, under any circumstances, touch anything inside this port-a-potty. I was armed with wet wipes and I fully intended to use them.

The three of us squeezed inside the warm plastic potty box and I latched the door behind us. Just then, my daughter, pointing directly into the toilet, exclaimed, “What is that!?” 

I peered hesitantly inside and saw a set of red claws sticking up out of the toilet. CLAWS.

I still can’t believe this happened.

There was a (dead) lobster floating in the port-a-potty toilet. And at that moment, I genuinely struggled with a response.

Part of me wanted to scream. Part of me was wildly amused. And another part of me was overcome by a level of confusion I hadn’t felt in quite some time.

(Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to sum up the emotional experience of parenting in general.)

I had to make a quick decision on the fly. Should I let my toddler potty…on top of it? Obviously, there was no way I was going to remove it first. But if she didn’t go potty, I was going to be dealing with a mess that I didn’t have the supplies to clean up.

Finally, I knew I had to say something to my daughters, both of whom were staring at me with bugged eyes and mouths hanging open. 

I explained that (for some reason) there was a lobster in the toilet (there’s a sentence I never thought I’d have to say), so it was probably best that we run back home and use our own bathroom. 

Thankfully, my girls didn’t hesitate and as we exited through the plastic door, they both snuck a look over their shoulders, still thoroughly confused.

It’s 15 years later and I remain as perplexed as I was that day. I told you – it’s quite a story! 

We never solved the mystery as to why there was a lobster in the port-a-potty. But as I mentioned, parks are kind of known for shady antics after dark. I guess I just never anticipated the disposal of crustaceans in portable toilets would be one of them.

If parenting has taught me anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. I think that also applies to life in general. 

I want to make a habit of living expectantly, noticing what God is doing each day to delight us in the midst of the mundane. I also believe that God loves to surprise us in ways that are completely unexpected. Problem is, I am fully aware of all the ways I’m surely missing the things He wants to show me because I’m too heads-down, focused on the mundane tasks in front of me.

God works in every detail of our lives, and that includes the boring, monotonous parts. The story in Exodus is a perfect example. One moment, Moses was going about his routine business of tending to a flock of sheep. Nothing spectacular. But in the next moment, he sees a complete display of God’s power and glory in the form of a burning bush in the middle of the desert.

God showed up completely unexpectedly, and I’m going out on a limb here, but I believe Moses never saw it coming. He wove the small details of Moses’ life into the greatest story the world will ever know. 

Don’t think for a second that God isn’t working in the middle of your own mundane, routine circumstances. He often shows up in the most unexpected ways. And in His perfect timing, He’s going to transform the chapters of your life into quite a story.