Not A Creature Is Stirring

It's quiet right now, all the children are sleeping and my hubby is off helping out a friend of ours.  After a day that seemed like it would never end, it's nice to have a few moments of quiet.  The day started with a preschooler who had wet the sheets, followed by a spilled mystery substance being spread around the house by tiny feet and naptime was interrupted by a toddler who has learned to remove her diaper... all before Daddy got home for dinner.

It's so easy to be thankful for the blessing of children when they're sleeping.  It's not as easy when everyone is cranky, not the least of whom is Mommy, and you find yourself crying in the bathroom... while everyone else cries outside the bathroom door.  (That didn't happen today, but it has!)  However, we are blessed to have an awesome God, who loves us even when we are not the Mommies we want to be, or that he wants us to be.  In those quiet moments, when we realize that the day was not what it could have been, and that although we want to blame the children's attitudes and behaviour, we know that ours did not help and maybe were worse than theirs, we can lay it all before our Lord and he will wash it all away.  He will cleanse us and give us a fresh tomorrow.  The circumstances of tomorrow may be no different than those of today, but we will be starting anew.

When we remember the love He has for us, and we try to extend that love, grace and mercy to our little ones, being attentive to opportunities to show them who God is through our behaviour and attitude, and keeping our focus on Him all throughout our day, externally and internally, we might find that when the quiet of the night comes, they were blessings all the day long. 

Remember why you're doing this.  It's not because you thought changing diapers and wet sheets for a dozen years would be fun.  It's because you accepted the stewarship, the challenge, the fun, the not-so-fun, the reward of a child (or three.) 

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thank God if your day just stunk, repent for your part in making it stink and pray for the peace and energy to do it better tomorrow.