sick again?!

Sometimes when your kids are sick they wanna cuddle, snuggle and be held. Sometimes they fall asleep 3 times in a day, just laying on the couch. Sometimes they spend a whole day laying on the couch. Sometimes it's rather precious to hold them, snuggle them and cuddle with them. Sometimes it's nice when your kids take turns being sick. Sometimes it's not so overwhelming to just have 1 or 2 sick at a time. But...sometimes you have other kids. Sometimes your other kids aren't sick. Sometimes the un-sick kids require a lot of time and attention. Sometimes the "other" kids need to eat. Sometimes they need to have their diapers changed, their butts wiped and their faces washed. Sometimes they aren't content to just let you sit and snuggle their sick siblings. Sometimes they choose to be naughty- to color on walls, floors, the bed and themselves- for attention. Sometimes they throw fits and scream and cry when they can't sit on your lap.  
We've been sick over here and there have been some sweet snuggly moments, but plenty of the "other" kind of moments! 

And, it was when I was frustrated, overwhelmed and at my whit's end that I need a good reminder about keeping the peace in my heart...a reminder like this one that I found on biblegateway.com. This is what they had to say about Proverbs 17:27b 
"a man of understanding is of a calm spirit":

"A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit, a precious spirit; he is one that looks well to his spirit, that it be as it should be, and so keeps it in an even frame, easy to himself and pleasant to others. A gracious spirit is a precious spirit, and renders a man amiable and more excellent than his neighbour. He is of a cool spirit, not heated with passion but even and stayed. A cool head with a warm heart." 

"A cool head with a warm heart" is definitely what a mom of sick kiddos needs. Today, as I sat and held my oldest daughter's head in my lap and rubbed her feverish little face...surrounded by the mounds of laundry needing folding, floors needing vacuuming, toys needing to be picked up, dinner needing to be made...but, there I was just sitting and watching the same shows over and over and in that moment I felt God's gentle hand on my heart and His gentle whisper to my soul as the words of Isaiah 8:17,18a came to my mind...

And I will wait on the Lord...And I will hope in Him. Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me.

I'm so thankful for the precious gift of my children. I'm so thankful for the hope that I have in the Lord- the hope that even on the rough days- the exhausting days- the wearying days- I can hope and trust in the Lord. If I wait on Him and use His strength I will be able to mount up with wings as eagles...

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

It is a great blessing, at times, to have rough days that God uses to teach us patience. love. endurance. and kindness. But, I wish I learned these lessons better and didn't need rough days...maybe someday, huh?! :)