See any similarities there? No? Then you didn't experience the month of February like the Whaley family did.
February 2019 is in the books, as they say. It's done. Over. Finished. And I couldn't be happier about that.
We all have days, maybe even weeks, that we'd like to just forget, right? Well, we had that kind of month. I don't know how many times I've said, in the last week, how thankful I am that February is behind me. And when I say behind me, I mean that as in, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" It was the month from H-E-double hockey sticks.
If you follow me on Facebook, you saw the posts. You noticed that God was teaching me a lot in the month of February, didn't you?
So, I'm going to share some highlights with you. I'm going to let you in on what God taught me in the month from... well, you know.
One of our kids struggled this past month. It was an internet struggle. This particular issue was major and it caused a lot of heartache for our family. There was great fallout. Without going into much detail, let me simply say that we need to do our best to protect our children from the evils of the internet. We thought we had protections in place. We were wrong. The result was painful. Protect. Your. Children.
TEACH your children. Teach them the beauty of honor and respect. Teach them about purity. Above all, teach them Truth.
Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching... Proverbs 1:8
Seriously, have you ever tried? I did. I tried EVERYTHING. No, coconut oil doesn't work. No, Goof Off doesn't work. No, lemon essential oils don't work. No, rubbing alcohol doesn't work. I'm now reminded of that on a daily basis by the two parallel smudges of super glue on my kitchen floor.
What did I learn from this? I was reminded that the hardwood floors in my kitchen are, well, just hardwood floors. In the end, they're just another piece of this crazy world that will eventually rot. They're really not that important. What IS important? It's important that I remember, DAILY, that the things of this world are temporary. Those hardwood floors really aren't going to matter when all is said and done.
Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. Colossians 3:2
My right front tooth began to hurt on February 1st. I started to bite into a piece of pizza and immediately dropped it back onto the plate. It was too painful to finish the first bite. For me to turn down pizza, something must be wrong. It was achy for a couple of weeks before it turned into a full blown abscess. I'd never felt or seen anything like it. Imagine half a marble protruding from your gums. Pretty picture, huh? Now imagine the pain of childbirth, but it's in your mouth. Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but it HURT. That abscessed tooth was a lesson in faith and patience.
I learned that I can endure more pain than I thought possible. I have a pretty low pain tolerance, so I can lose my religion over a stubbed pinky toe. I endured the pain for three days before getting in to see a dentist. That was mostly due to the fact that a dear friend had some amoxicillin on hand for me to borrow over the weekend. He is good, people. He gave me just what I needed to endure. Nothing more, nothing less. That's how He works with the Whaleys. If there's a lesson to be learned, He'll take the opportunity to teach it!
And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance... Romans 5:3
Graham was diagnosed with RSV on February 19th. Two days later, he was admitted to Children's Hospital.
Graham started throwing up on a Tuesday morning and was in the hospital by Thursday evening. His oxygen level was hovering in the mid-seventies and he was dehydrated. We spent five fairly sleepless nights in a bed in room 228. I spent pretty much every second in that bed with him. At first, Scott and I were joking with the nurses that it was like a vacation for us. One child versus five, and we didn't have to do much of anything but sit there. After a few days, it was no longer a joke. The nurses were in and out of the room no less than every two hours. Vitals were checked. Boogers were sucked (with a frighteningly strong industrial booger sucker). Breathing treatments were administered. Momma was ready to go home by day three. Graham was a trooper, but Mommy and Daddy were over it.
During that stay, we learned once again how God provides. Friends and family brought Starbucks, cupcakes, meals, toys... We were able to see the hand of God at work. We may have been tired, but we were filled with gratitude. We were lacking in rest, but our hearts were full.
I will praise You forever for what You have done. In the presence of Your faithful people, I will put my hope in Your name, for it is good. Psalm 52:9
#5. Sometimes you just have to take a bubble bath at 5 pm on a Tuesday.
Not every day warrants a hot bubble bath before dinner. But some days do.
I'm blessed to have a husband that recognizes when I'm overwhelmed. Those times are a little more common than I'd like to admit. But God gave me a man who knows me well, loves me well, and sees when I need to soak in a pool of bubbly, lavender goodness. There's nothing that relaxes me more. We all need to take time to breathe, withdraw from the chaos, and refocus our thoughts on what and Who really matters. Sometimes that needs to happen in the middle of the day and in the midst of the storm.
Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
As I read back through this post, I'm faced with the realization that maybe February really wasn't all that bad. In actuality, my February was probably a bed of roses compared to that of someone battling cancer, grieving the loss of a loved one, or wounded by the sting of a prodigal child. In a sense, even though months like February are painful, I'm thankful for them. It's in the difficult times that I see God's goodness, His providence, His desire to draw me nearer and nearer to Him. Do better than me. Realize it before you spend hours writing about it.
