When Mommy's Unwell, and How to End 2018

I had the best plans for this little holiday break, from Christmas to New Year's.  My husband was going to have time off from work, so we would firstly have some lovely time together as a family.  We were finally going to have a nice break from homeschooling, which I really don't mind doing--school is part of our daily routine, and it makes the day seem "normal" and put together.  But, I was looking forward to this short break to spend with the family.  We would spend quality time together as a family, probably playing some games, reading, having Bible studies, and other things.  I was going to spend some time catching up on checking the children's school work.  I was hoping to take the little ones aside to the kitchen with me at different times to make some sweet goodies that I have been meaning to make for some time for the family.  We normally have dessert only once or twice a week, but this was to be a special time of celebrating!

I had spent lots of time shopping for special gifts for the children and my husband this year.  I was anticipating everyone opening their presents, hoping they would like what they received.  Everything went well on Christmas Day, with the family opening their lovely gifts from each other.  But in the evening, I started feeling unusually tired and had a funny feeling in my throat.  I fell asleep while we were watching a creation video and felt even worse when I woke up.  It was during this night of sleep that I knew something was very wrong!

I woke up feeling just horrible, after a restless night of sleep.  I soon determined that I had come down with the flu.  There went my plans!  I have stayed in my room most of this time, not wanting to spread my sickness to the rest of the family.  When part of me feels better, I will have another symptom worsen or a new one crop up, so I stay longer in my room.  When I've been feeling a little bit better, and no one else has been at home, I have had to go down to the kitchen to get myself a cup of tea or some water.  Then I have seen the state of our kitchen--it is just not the same when Mommy is not around!  Everyone has their own chores to do and set chore times during the day, but it is quite different when the "head housekeeper" is not around to check on what sort of job everyone has been doing.  I have older daughters, but they don't always do the very best job they could do.  I have been training them up in order to help out at home and to be prepared when they, Lord willing, have their own homes and families.  But they are not fully grown yet, and some are better than others at cleaning thoroughly and taking care of extra messes.  I long to be down with my family, back into routine, the busyness of keeping the home and looking after the children, but the Lord has other plans for me.

As mothers, there's not much we can do when we fall ill.  The home will not be in as good of shape as when we are around and feeling well.  Some times, it seems as if these interruptions just keep coming, and that we will never catch up on our work.  Each time we make a little headway, it seems that something else comes along to take us backwards and get us more behind.  So it is with life on this earth, isn't it?  We are working against the tide of decay and of sin, that forever gives us work to do.  This is how it will be as long as we are here on this earth.  Each day is a gift from Him, and we never know which day will be our last.  Instead of fretting, we must remember to ask the Lord every day to help us with what each day brings.  Even when we tire, and feel weak, He never does, and He is always ready to hear our cries for help.

I am thankful and hopeful that my sickness will soon be over.  My time here in bed and in my room has not been wasted, because the Lord has ordained it.  I hope you all are doing well and feeling better than I am (smiles).

Now, How to End 2018
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The following is an excerpt from the diary of James Smith: December 31, 1855.  The last day of the year 1855--a year characterized by . . . many severe trials, many sore temptations, and innumerable mercies. In some things, it closes differently to what I expected--but how differently it may have closed! I might have been in Hell! O terrible thought! I might have been on a sick bed, tormented with excruciating pain, or reduced to a state of infantile weakness. I might have been in great and sore troubles, tossed with tempests, and not comforted. I might have been without a pastorate--and without a loving people. Or I might have been guilty of some heinous sin, lost my character, and been a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth! Blessed, forever blessed be the Lord--that such is not my case! My health is good, my hope in Christ is steady, my congregation good, and I trust the Lord will yet work a great work by me. And now, Lord, I desire to confess before you the sins of this past year: I have sinned with my tongue--and with my temper. I have sinned in my heart--and in my life. I have omitted duties. I have committed sins. My motives have often been impure. My aims have not been sufficiently high and holy. I have been impatient, fretful, irritable, rash, jealous, envious, discontented and ungrateful. O may the blood of Jesus wash out every stain! I renounce all hope--but what centers in Jesus! I have no refuge, no hiding-place, no strong tower, no place of safety--but Jesus. Christ in His person, Christ in His finished work, Christ in His glorious intercession-- is all my hope, all my confidence, all my joy! I am His servant--and wish to serve Him alone. I am His subject--and wish to be ruled by Him alone. I am His purchased property--and wish to be consecrated entirely, eternally, and altogether to Him! ~ ~ ~ ~ from Grace Gems 2nd painting by James Clark Smith

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