Be perceptive

Wow, spring break week.  For those of you who have young kiddos in school know exactly what I’m talking about.  Working from home and dealing with fights, hunger, boredom (not sure how that is possible when there is hundreds of dollars worth of equipment outside to play with or thousands worth of electronics), moodiness, etc.  All while juggling conference calls and managing my emails.  WHEW!  However, playing 4 squares with my kids on my lunch break has been tons-o-fun  so praise the Lord for that. 

                God has tested my patience this week, whew LORDY, He has tested it.  Don’t those tests just drive you crazy?  It’s so hard for the little ones to understand that you need to work, and that you need to be left alone.  So in fighting back the frustration I try to explain for the 15^th time this morning that I need to work lol.  However, I think this test was about more than just patience.  I told my husband yesterday I NEED A BREAK, so when he got home I went and got a mani/pedi AHHHHHHHH that’s better.  No one is fighting, no one is jumping upstairs and disturbing my conf call and no one is tapping on the door when I finally take 5 mins to shower for the first time in 2 ½ days!!!  The girl doing my nails asked the normal questions, how long have you been married?  Do you have kids?  How many?  Then she said she had a 5 month old baby at home and her cousin was watching him because she had to work until 9pm that night.  Her husband works nights and she works days, she said her baby is so happy when she gets home.  And she finally got to see her husband Monday because she made him take off work to spend time with the family because they never see each other.    I’m thinking “WHAT??!?!?!  Here I am wanting a break from the kiddos b/c I’ve been with them while working 2 days straight and my husband has come home both nights and fixed dinner because he knew I’d been home with them and I’m COMPLAINING?  EXCUSE ME?”  I came home that night, enjoyed the wonderful meal he prepared and just sat and enjoyed the conversation between him and the kids.  I just sat back and watched their smiling faces and the excitement of the vacation today.  It’s amazing how selfish we all can be when you step back and look at ourselves in the mirror.  I absolutely love my kids but it can be trying at times, however, I cannot take for granted how wonderful I’ve got it.  I get to see them and my husband all the time.  So this test wasn’t just about patience it was about gratitude as well.  I’ve thanked God for that (somewhat annoying test) and this week when the kids are driving me crazy because the 5 of us are crammed in one hotel room after 5 hours in the car…..I’ll stop….I’ll pray for patience…then I’ll thank Him for the three little blessings that are standing in front of me.  Heck, I’ll thank Him for my husband too ;).  Today has been awesome, they are excited about our vacation that starts tonight and all happy.  God has blessed me with so many things and I cannot take them for granted anymore. 

                So thank God ladies.  Thank Him for the fights, for the chocolate ice cream on the white carpet, for the pen mark on your leather seat in your new car (thank you Lexi!!), thank Him for the noise, the laughter, the silly questions, and the constant interruptions (here is one kid knocking on my door now).  The teenager, oh Lord, what drama does he have for me hahaha (it’s truly amazing how dramatic teenagers can be and ours is a boy!!).  Goodness.  Learn from it.  If you don’t have kids, then you can thank God for all your mistakes.  When you lock your keys in your car, leave your cell at home and have to drive all the way back to get it, for the nail polish that is now permanently on the coffee table in the living room and all of life’s annoyances.   Set an example for the kids, your friends and your coworkers.  Be positive and let them see God in you.  I even heard my kids all day Sunday after church singing “It’s My Father’s House” it was awesome.  It used to be “I’m Sexy and I know it”. 

                We all have many annoyances, and difficulties in our lives but they are all blessings in disguise.  Slow down and take time to notice them and thank God for all you have, the good, the bad and the ugly…remember, it’s all beautiful because it is all His creation. 

Be positive and show grace and love…..