Yesterday

I was in the middle of writing a blog post yesterday morning when something happened that kept me from completing it.  I was going to post a few summer pictures I hadn't had time to post a few weeks ago because we got really busy, and a lot of other events took place at which I took more pictures.  I enjoy being busy and active, but I also require down-time to just let my mind wander and be refreshed.  A 30-minute walk around the neighborhood without the kids usually works wonders for my perspective.  


I was really wishing for some down-time yesterday morning.  James is going through a stage where he wants everything that Ella is playing with, and I am in the early stages of teaching him to share, take turns, and not just walk up and yank her toys out of her hands in the midst of her playing with them.  It's such a fun job because he yells throughout the whole process.  My boy is loud.  He doesn't have the vocabulary to express fully how much he really wants/needs that toy to be his so he just yells and whines about it.  

So yesterday morning I was in the midst of breaking up yelling, yanking-things-out-of-their-siblings-hands children and thinking about how easy and quiet life was when it was just me, KJ, and little baby Ella.  When you have your first child, you think it's hard and that it changes your life.  It does!  But with child number two, there are even more adjustments to make.  So I started writing a blog post and putting up some pictures, and I was reflecting that even though I wished for some peace and quiet now, I knew there would come a day when I would want these yelling little children back in my house.  I was feeling buoyed up by these thoughts and thinking that perhaps I could find the patience to continue throughout the day when James came walking around the corner--holding a snow globe.


James had already been getting into mischief that morning.  I had to shut the door to the bathroom while Ella was in the tub because he had been in there and thrown something in, splashing water all over the wall and the floor.  When I looked up and saw him standing there with the snow globe, I jumped up to take it from him, and he dropped it.  

Of course I went into mother freak-out mode, mostly because there's glass everywhere, and I didn't know if he was hurt or if he would try to walk through the mess, and I had to walk through it to get to him.  I hate stepping on glass.  Thankfully, James stood still and didn't make a move as he listened to my frightened screams.  I scooped him up and cleaned off his feet and hands.  I only found one sliver of glass; the rest was "snow."  I then locked him in his room, with Ella joining him after I bathed her, and began the painstaking process of making sure every sliver of glass was picked up off the floor, as well as mopping up all the water.  It took me over an hour.


On the bright side, I guess I got some alone time, since I had to leave the kids shut up in James' room while I cleaned it all up.  And so that's why there was no blog post yesterday.


My sweet mother-in-law called in the afternoon and offered to let the kids spend the night last night.  Did I take her up on it?  Yes.  I went to Chick-Fil-A with my husband and talked it all out (poor husbands), ran into Pay-Less and bought James some new shoes, ran into Wal-Mart and picked up a few things (I forgot bread.), walked down the street and asked if I could take Ella's friends to the free movie with us this morning, went to College Bible study with my husband and talked to adults, and then came home to a quiet house and went to bed.   Thank you, T.  It doesn't take much to recharge my batteries.  The quiet house this morning is really refreshing, too.  

Love on a young mom today and tell them they're awesome.  It will recharge their batteries and give them the energy they need to keep going.  Actually, just encourage anyone you like today.  They probably need it.  Life is hard....and good...all mixed together.  I was encouraged by the text last night:  "...because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:15-16)


I want to be a picture of the gospel to my children, being patient, forgiving, cleaning up their messes, and loving them steadfastly.  They are my offering to God, the people I am working for, just like Paul worked for the Gentile believers.  


Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.