Well, it should be no secret by my blog title that our household is battling a case of croup. Our 7 month old has been up most of the night the past two days and he isn't napping much at all. He cries when he coughs, he cries when he is set down, he isn't nursing well, and his beautiful smile is hidden behind sad eyes. As a parent there are few situations that are harder on our hearts than when one of our children is sick and there is nothing we can do to make it better. I literally kissed my sweet baby boys head and told him I wished that I had gotten sick first so that I would have the antibodies he needed to fight this. Let's face it, we would do a manner of crazy things for the good of our children. Including wishing an awful lung infection on ourselves in order to spare them.
But, this is a season of thanksgiving and I have committed to making today a day to rejoice! So, in spite of the lack of sleep, energy, and smiles at my house- we woke up alive, Amen. We may not have slept well, but we did sleep in beds, Amen. Thanks to modern medicine, my baby is slightly better today which gives me hope, AMEN. My other two are finally old enough to understand that they need to be a little quieter, and a little less demanding when someone else in the house is ill, so they have been easier than normal today, big Amen. Friends, on the ickiest of croupy days there is always a reason to give praise. The icky days help us re-establish that perspective and our faith that God is still in control on the icky days brings us peace. That brings me to the 3rd P of a grateful heart, perseverance. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks. This is what God wants you to do because of Christ Jesus.". Knowing that a situation is hard, or croupy- is easy, it just requires admitting your emotions are valid. Perseverance to keep your faith and continue to praise God in the midst of the croup of life is where the heart of gratitude grows.
This time of year leaves are bursting in to color right outside my window. Tree's are shedding their bold summer looks for a more demure winter ensemble. Deep below the surface of the gently fading grass, there is an intricate system of roots that anchor each tree, they are the life and the breath of its being. Those roots do not sink in to soft soil and flourish, if the only soul around them is soft soil it will all wash away in a strong rain and the roots will be exposed causing the tree to lose it's balance and topple over. Roots are designed to wriggle into the hard places. They creep around rocks, burrow through clay, and the wider they spread the better the tree is anchored. (Why yes I am about to draw a beautiful parallel to your life). It is the same with our lives. The hard rocks and tough clay are hard to get through, but on the other side.... they leave us better anchored and stronger. We wriggle our way through the croup, on our knees, sometimes you may feel you are more on your belly.... we persevere and we see that God was faithful and we are stronger than we were before. Luke 1:37"For the word of God will never fail." Make sure you are anchored and then rejoice, there are so many things to be thankful for in every season.
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