Some days you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, with no
where near enough sleep and you wonder how you will make it through the day,
how will you keep pouring out when you feel empty. It’s still dark outside – who in their right
mind gets up this early?! Filled with
founts of living water, that rushing stream, it’s He who lets, and really
causes, me to walk and not grow weary, to run and not faint. How is this possible? I am not supermom, I
feel so inadequate to the tasks before me, so much so that I crash back under
the covers before the day even begins….
And then… there’s a friend who needs to have a sick day at
home, can I watch the kids? Sure. And another kid whose sister is so pale sick
and hurting, can I give him a ride? How can I not! And there’s these three
cheery faces – can you watch over them too? Mom and brother are sick again,
don’t want to chance it – and in the end I’m watching 9 kids and somehow
everyone eats lunch, and smiles happy, and gets to the end of the day in one
piece. The friend whose hurting, she
needs a minute just to talk it out and I hurt with her, and I can’t fix
it – even though I SO WANT TO FIX IT! So
we spend time pouring out and pouring in – to each other’s lives. Sometimes it’s enough to just sit and listen
and pray clumsy prayers that only God understands. And know that He does understand, and that He has a good plan for all this mess that seems so overwhelming.
And then there’s a spelling test and another hour spent patiently repairing sewing machines as giggly girls chit chat and sew, then reorganizing book shelves, and finding lost copies, and someone’s books and photos, and more…
And then there’s a spelling test and another hour spent patiently repairing sewing machines as giggly girls chit chat and sew, then reorganizing book shelves, and finding lost copies, and someone’s books and photos, and more…
Before you know it, it’s time for supper and rather I am
celebrating husband’s accomplishments, his honors, with some odd flavored appetizers and waiting to snap a picture of this man who has worked so hard
and is decorated in red tassels holding a plaque as if something so small could
memorialize something so big. This man,
who has worked so hard on so many other days, here he is beside me all day on
this day –what should be “his day” and he helps, he teaches, he chases after
the same Holy things (even though he did sneak away for a nap in the truck)
And we go until it’s dark outside and there’s just one thing
we really want to do, and we really should eat dinner, but we’re not so hungry
for food as much as hungry to see our
friends and their son on the 11th floor and just tell them we love
them and are praying and try to tease a smile out of their sick boy before we
go.
It isn’t until we get back home, 14
hours later, that I realize how the day
flew, quickly coursing, like a wild river
of Grace
And there's this list that keeps growing - like proof - like a drink of water from the fountain that never runs dry - so I keep counting...
68. A husband who is patient with me even when I wake up on
the wrong side of the bed
69. Husband who chases Holy things with me
70. Attitude reset
71. Nine kids =)
72. Being able to help a friend
73. Three minutes in
the driveway and a hug for the sick one
74. Time to talk to my friend
75. Clumsy prayers
76. Testimony
77. Eating lunch
together
78. Lunch clean up helpers
79. spelling test humor
80. having a spelling test
81. friend to make copies – all the time #Jenisthebesthelper
82. books on shelves
83. mom’s finding resources
84. German =)
85. note from a friend
86. Friends to clean up
87. Friends to lock up
88. Friends to be responsible
89. Plans falling together
90. Time with just husband
91. Honoring husband
92. faith
93. healthy kids
94. time to visit friends
95 seeing kid smile – even for a minute
96 dinner out #steaknshakeorpopeyes
97. warm shower
98 responsible kids at home
99 everyone fed
100 A whole day to be used for Grace.
