Giving thanks.

Okay, guys, I've had my stomach turned upside down more than once by reading overly descriptive details about someone's stomach virus via social media. So, I'll try to keep this tactful. About three this morning, I heard that noise - you know, that inhuman noise that comes from a small child who is suddenly sick in the middle of the night. That noise was followed by her tears and wailing, lots of laundry, and a trip to the tub over the next few hours.

Our poor babe. She was sick with a belly bug just a couple weeks ago, and she picked it up again. I was not pleased to be jolted awake; belly bugs put my OCD on overdrive; and I really would take a week of strep over getting sick to my stomach just once. I avoid it at all costs. It's so so horrible!!

Alas, I think the Lord put this on my plate (again) for a reason. See, I was the only parent home a
couple weeks ago when the child got sick repeatedly over a two-hour period. I followed her around with bleach while she felt bad. Though my hubs got up and help with the baby last night - rocking her and bathing her this morning - I knew this job was mostly on me, too. I'm rather slow to take this posture of grace when I see something I don't want to deal with (like this). Sometimes I just don't, even when I should. I feel sorry for myself. I complain. I retreat inward.

Alas, thinking on the sacrificial love of Christ makes it easier to deal with. It's getting easier as time goes on. Left to my own inward thoughts, I would rather be in my nice warm bed at 3 a.m. instead of trying to catch a wink or two camped out on our daughter's bedroom floor. I would have rather not had those ickies doing a sick dance around my head. I would have rather not made fifteen trips up and downstairs in the middle of the night. I would have rather not done extra laundry. I would have rather not had any part of it.

BUT. There in the middle of the night, Grace compelled me to be grateful. 

• Grateful that I could lay next to my daughter as she was sick, because she was probably very scared. 
• Grateful that we had two. Count 'em, TWO diapers left, and that was just enough to get through the night.
• Grateful that we have a bathtub to bathe her in and plenty of clean sheets and blankets to dress her bed with and keep her warm.
• Grateful for that glider and footstool I got a garage sale for $15. That thing has a million miles on it by now and it was great to rock her back to sleep last night.
• Grateful for my husband, who is a great dad, and got up to help without me saying a word.
• Grateful that the big kids slept until 8 this morning, so we at least caught up a little bit. 
• Grateful that the kids had today off school; no one wants to take a sick baby out in the cold.
• Grateful for our warm bed that was fabulous to sink back into after baby went back to sleep.
• Grateful for the sanitary cycle on our washer!
• Grateful that just last night, I bought a new scrubber for the bathtub. 
• Grateful that my husband's work schedule allowed for him to go grab a pack of diapers and return them to me before going in this morning. 
• Grateful for fuzzy slippers, a hoodie and leggings - my uniform for today. 
• Grateful to have more espresso than I can drink on-hand today.
• And, mostly, Grateful for a God who loves and loves and loves despite the fact that we are just filthy sinners.

Taking a posture of grace isn't always easy, but we are commanded to do it as believers and it makes life a whole lot more bearable. Is there something you need to act on, with grace, today?

Now, time for another latte.