Sick Week

We had a sick day week.  Two sneezes on Sunday afternoon turned into a terrible barking cough by Monday afternoon for Miss M.  My kids are not often sick, but the cough, fever, lost voice and aches kept her on the couch for three full days, and we finally took her into the doctor.  Viral infection and bronchitis.  Fun.  That sounds sarcastic, but it really hasn't been bad.  Our days have been spent in jammies, reading on the couch, not stressing about missing school.  Miss M slept fourteen hours straight last night!  She couldn't have done that if I'd  had to wake her up for school.  So it hasn't been a bad week at all (besides my little girl feeling lousy).  I'm even hoping that tomorrow she'll feel well enough to get some school work done!

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows if very well.   ~Psalm 139:14     

I have a bad-mom confession.  I occasionally compare my children to each other.  I sometimes compare them to other children.  I see their faults and short-comings more often than I like.  I become frustrated when my daughter talks too much or wants to chat with strangers when we're in a hurry.  (She is social like her dad.)  And I recently said to my husband, "You realize that Mr. J has all of our worst personality characteristics?"  Doesn't like to be hugged?  That's from me.  Can hold a piece of chewed food in his mouth for hours if he doesn't want to swallow it?  That's from my husband.  Picky eater?  That's from me.   Quick to be frustrated?  That's from me.  Stubborn?  Well, that's probably from both of us.  My point is that I  sometimes have these terrible thoughts, and I have been convicted.  I was reading Psalm 139 and realized that comparing, looking for the negatives, or nit-picking is probably a slap in the face to God.  HE made these beautiful and unique children.  Just the way HE wanted.  It is only my job to love them and to help guide them as they grow.  Not shape them into something I want or try to will away their "bad habits" or more challenging personality traits.

So, this week, I spent more time looking for the positives.  I saw Mr. J putting together twelve-piece puzzles by himself.  I didn't even know he could do that!  I watched him easily finish patterns without blinking an eye.  Miss M performed in a local Nutcracker production and was amazing!  She even made a "cast list" for us to perform a small Nativity show for Grandma and Grandpa and was already planning costumes and dialogue.  Will Mr. J ever be on stage?  Not likely.  Will he learn to chew and swallow food in a timely manner?  I hope so.  Will Miss M be an engineer?  Probably not.  Will she learn that sometimes it's best to say nothing at all?  I hope so.  But I will love them no matter what they do in life, no matter what their personality quirks are, and I will continue to praise God for giving me such fearfully and wonderfully made children!