Thankful for Sickness?????

Well sickness has struck us this month.

Just when we think we are turning the corner the green river starts flowing again

The coughs disturb our good night sleep

Plans get changed or canceled

People stay home

And usually mommy would get anxious eagerly anticipating days of health to quickly return.......

However.......

God gave us this time of sickness for a reason..

To get me to stop

stay home 

deal with issues

Spend undistributed family time

 And this is exactly what we  I needed  for God to shine a light into some dark areas of my life that the busyness has hidden

This homeschool year has hit me like a semi truck 

Leaving me feeling D's

 discouraged, distressed, depressed and defeated

As soon as a textbook opens I become this extremely impatience, unloving, unmerciful, wretch of a mom and teacher. Anytime someone would ask me how I am doing I would give them a look of death and they would quickly respond " I will be praying for You!"

Oh dear friends... I am so thankful for your prayers because God answered them... 

We got sick...

We stayed home...

And God the merciful, forbearing, good Shepard shined His light bright....

And showed me that is it not homeschooling

Isn't not my kids

It is my hearts selfish grumbling and complaining attitude 

I would much rather spend my time from 8am to 3 pm daily

 running errands, cooking, crafting, couponing and cleaning

instead of sitting in between to little boys answering questions nonstop and some times at the same time, 

Being interrupted 100 + times while trying to read 1 sentence by a little girls who needs something new every 5 seconds

Stressing out when we are still doing school at 3pm!

Watching my house become a disaster of epic proportions in just 20 minutes and trying to concentrate on the lesson rather than the 5 inch think pile of crumbs on the floor

  

But you know what... Homeschooling isn't ABOUT ME! 

It isn't about MY wants  or "think I deserves"

It is about serving my children for the glory of God and to show them the Amazing Love and mercy that has been shown to me

by my self sacrificing Savior.

And this no matter how hard is where God has me right now

Who am I to grumble and complain against His perfect plan for my life

God say in James 1 :2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

God is using sickness and homeschooling to shine a light 

To show me all the work He still needs to do in me 

to conform me more into His image 

and so for this even though the pruning hurts it is for my good and I am thankful!

I began a women's bible study last month 

I am so excited because we are working on memorizing the ENTIRE book of Colossians and studying  Jesus

His person and work through various scriptures. 

Wow let me tell you what a difference it is having the word of God dwell in me richly these past few weeks as I worked on my memory verses which were col 1:1-10. 

When I start to get impatience, discontent, discourage, or defeated God has brought to mind Col 1 :10 " So walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please HIM in ALL respects, to bear fruit in EVERY good work and increase in the knowledge of God" 

This is my mission

 My prayer every morning, all day, through the interruptions,  and the messy house. 

I think this is now my life's verse!

My kiddos have also even through sickness enjoyed this time to slow down and stay home.

We released our butterflies but both of them had wing problems so they didn't get very far :(

One of the best things we did is all go out in the dark one evening and lay on the trampoline with pillows and blankets

Daddy read us a story by flash light

The kids told their own stories ( all ended with getting blown up or farting except Kaitlyn's story of a butterfly princess but they boys put there version in that too.. fell off the castle and died  :)

Star gazed 

Heard bats and saw an owl in flight!!!!!

The kids have been asking to do that every night now :)

Not to mention the time where we turn the music up loud dance around the house :)

Then the dancing turns into wrestling

Oh and another plus to these sick days.. 

I have learned all my kiddos LOVE to color

So yes I am thankful for the sick bug that doesn't seem to want leave

because

What memories we would have missed making

and

What darkness I would not have been able to see through!