On Wednesdays I get to help in my daughter Shalyn’s second grade class and then eat lunch with her. This Wednesday I enjoyed turkey gravy over mashed potatoes, mushy peas, a pumpkin muffin, canned pears and chocolate milk. I’m sure your mouth is salivating as you read this! She was happy and healthy when I left school, but I received a call from the school nurse only an hour later. She asked if I could pick up Shalyn from school; she had thrown up in music class!
How mortifying to throw up in front of your class! I asked her if she at least made it to the garbage and she answered, “The second time I did!” Her body continued to rid itself of the unwanted food for the next few hours. At one point she looked at me and in a sad, quiet voice asked, “Why is God letting this happen?” Oh, the drama of a seven-year-old! I wanted to tell her that other people were struggling with worse things than the stomach flu, but I didn’t think it was the right time or place!
On Thursday night as Shalyn lay resting on the couch, my son Caleb excitedly told us about the “best day in the world.” He was referring to Friday, when his fourth-grade class would spend the entire day in their pajamas, reading and eating healthy snacks. From school he would go to a friend's house and then cap off the evening by attending “Friday Fun Night” at school.
Unfortunately, he woke up with the stomach flu and spent the "best day in the world" on the couch. The three of us spent the day doing puzzles, watching movies and snuggling. I tried valiantly to make them eat and drink as much as their tummies could handle. At one point in the evening, Caleb looked sad. I asked him what was wrong and he said, “I was just thinking about what my friends are probably doing right now.” I sympathetically replied, “It’s no fun to be sick, is it?”
As we wrapped up our final movie, I told them it was time for bed. Caleb looked at me and said, “I had a fun day with you, mom.” I asked him why it was fun and he told me it was fun because I spent time with him and sat next to him.
Wow!
If those kind words from my nine-year-old son were payment for hours spent cleaning the bathroom, washing sheets and dispensing Tylenol…I’ll take it! And as much as I don’t enjoy wearing my “nurse mom” hat sometimes, hearing those words actually made these past days feel worthwhile. I’m not saying I want the stomach flu to stay around or come back anytime soon, but I will say there was an unexpected blessing this time around!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
First Time for Everything!
Here goes. I'm officially a blogger! Deep breath. Silent prayer. Away I go!
It's been 18 years since I started college. Please don't try to figure out my age. (Would you believe I started college when I was nine?) At a young age I had an interest in reading and writing, so I decided to major in Communications with a Journalism emphasis. I'll save the college stories for another day!
After college I had numerous jobs, only one of which included writing. Then I had kids and realized that writing would be taking a back seat to diapers and play time. I did dabble in writing for our local MOPS group and various other creative, yet personal projects. (Do Christmas letters count?) I always said that once my kids were in school I would pursue writing. Well, my kids have been in school for a year and a half! It seems like it is time to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak.
To jumpstart my writing endeavor, I attended a Christian writing conference this past summer. What a great experience! On the last day of the conference, those of us on the writer's track said our final goodbyes and gathered into writing groups. Our goal was to continue sharpening our writing skills with the help of other sisters in Christ who enjoyed writing.
One of the first emails from our newly-formed writing group suggested we exchange blog addresses. Hmmmm. Blog address. My eyebrows went up as I pondered the daunting thought of a blog. In all honesty, I didn't really even know what a blog was. I felt like an out-of-touch, stay-at-home mom who'd been living under a rock for the last nine years.
Suffice it to say, the list of blogs was sent out sans mine!
As I thought more about getting back into the writing game, I realized that a blog would give me the accountability I needed to write on a consistent basis. However, I worried that I would be just another blogger in a sea of millions. Did we really need another blogger? Another opinion? Another two cents in a bank of millions?
While I prayed about whether or not to start a blog, the Lord reminded me that He values everyone. From the poorest and most destitute to an exalted king. He reminded me that He gave me the desire to write many years ago, even before I majored in Journalism. I believe that He puts passions and desires in our hearts for a reason. I may not be a published author (yet!), but everyone has to start somewhere. I'm starting here, with this blog. I'm taking a step in faith. Even though my writing is far from perfect or polished, writing this blog is what I'm supposed to do. I have the time, my kids are in school, so here I go! I guess there really is a first time for everything!
My final thought for today is my prayer each time I write. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
It's been 18 years since I started college. Please don't try to figure out my age. (Would you believe I started college when I was nine?) At a young age I had an interest in reading and writing, so I decided to major in Communications with a Journalism emphasis. I'll save the college stories for another day!
After college I had numerous jobs, only one of which included writing. Then I had kids and realized that writing would be taking a back seat to diapers and play time. I did dabble in writing for our local MOPS group and various other creative, yet personal projects. (Do Christmas letters count?) I always said that once my kids were in school I would pursue writing. Well, my kids have been in school for a year and a half! It seems like it is time to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak.
To jumpstart my writing endeavor, I attended a Christian writing conference this past summer. What a great experience! On the last day of the conference, those of us on the writer's track said our final goodbyes and gathered into writing groups. Our goal was to continue sharpening our writing skills with the help of other sisters in Christ who enjoyed writing.
One of the first emails from our newly-formed writing group suggested we exchange blog addresses. Hmmmm. Blog address. My eyebrows went up as I pondered the daunting thought of a blog. In all honesty, I didn't really even know what a blog was. I felt like an out-of-touch, stay-at-home mom who'd been living under a rock for the last nine years.
Suffice it to say, the list of blogs was sent out sans mine!
As I thought more about getting back into the writing game, I realized that a blog would give me the accountability I needed to write on a consistent basis. However, I worried that I would be just another blogger in a sea of millions. Did we really need another blogger? Another opinion? Another two cents in a bank of millions?
While I prayed about whether or not to start a blog, the Lord reminded me that He values everyone. From the poorest and most destitute to an exalted king. He reminded me that He gave me the desire to write many years ago, even before I majored in Journalism. I believe that He puts passions and desires in our hearts for a reason. I may not be a published author (yet!), but everyone has to start somewhere. I'm starting here, with this blog. I'm taking a step in faith. Even though my writing is far from perfect or polished, writing this blog is what I'm supposed to do. I have the time, my kids are in school, so here I go! I guess there really is a first time for everything!
My final thought for today is my prayer each time I write. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
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