I wake up with a stuffy head. It's day three of a cold. I stumble downstairs for a cup of coffee before greeting the kids.
I am halfway through that cup of coffee (interrupted by sinus-clearing sessions) when I hear Mark sweetly calling, "Mama, I'm pooping!" I sweetly reply, "Mark, are you all done?" I am hoping it takes him a while, because I don't want to deal with it at the moment.
He is, and I put down the coffee to answer the call of duty, a.k.a., wiping up. Only this time, there's a wet mess on the floor to accompany the dirty bottom. Not that unusual at my house, but I digress.
Mark is dressed and ready for the day. He joins me for the end of that cup of coffee and I read him a brief Bible passage from Psalm 103.
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. He asks me what "iniquities" are, and I try to explain. I'm thinking about the way he swiped a cookie when I wasn't looking yesterday afternoon, and then grinned from ear to ear while he tried to hide the evidence, but I don't remind him of it this morning. We dealt with that one already.
We continue reading.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
He says he isn't made of dust; doesn't want to be made of dust. He thinks that's a funny thought. I am glad of it, myself - glad that He remembers.
I pray aloud that the children will learn to be servants of God, that I will be an example of this for them. I think of Christ's perfect example, described in Philippians 2:
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
How quickly God answers with an opportunity to serve.
So, in the midst of this conversation, we hear Nathan crying upstairs. I wonder if he's just woken up with a stuffy nose and is disgruntled by the inability to breathe. Turns out his stomach is hurting and he just wants to lie in bed.
He does just that for a while, until I'm clearing the table of my breakfast dishes and then he starts really wailing. I get upstairs just in time to watch him vomit on the carpet. I comfort him, help clean him up and give him instructions to rest and be still.
Turns out he's a bit of a grumpy sick child today. I will leave it at that.
I am a grumpy sick adult, and I don't like dealing with a grumpy sick-o. I want to be appreciated, thanked.
We spend the bulk of the morning watching Veggie Tales and a Thomas movie, and I snooze a little bit. When it's over, Nathan's hungry for toast - like three pieces. And a bunch of applesauce. Mark wants some, too. I feel like a short-order cook. Thank goodness they place easy orders.
After they are both fed, they begin leaping around the den and sliding off the couch, pretending it's a boat or something. I'm not sure - I'm folding clothes by myself in the other room.
I make the observation that Nathan must be feeling much better, and suggest the children put on their shoes and go outside. They leap with glee and race to ready themselves.
Mark needs help with socks, so I help him wiggle his toes into a pair. I'm reaching out to give him a little hug afterward, and he reaches back....to wipe his snotty nose on my sweater sleeve!
I send him to get a tissue for me and give him a talking-to about how you should never wipe your nose on another person. He has a terrible habit of opting for his own sleeve over a kleenex every time. Gross, but at least it's his own personal property.
So now, I'm getting ready to start laundry load number 3. It's 12:31 p.m. and I am wondering what lies ahead for this afternoon. I am made of dust. I am not the suffering servant that Christ is. I get sick, tired, and moody. But I know whatever is coming my way, I know I have a Helper who knows my weakness and loves me just the same.
4 Surely he (Christ) took up our pain and bore our suffering.Isaiah 53:4a
