This morning was a rather cool one. As I crunched through the frozen grass to the chicken coop, I was in awe of the diamond like sparkles in the air, trees, and hillsides all around me. God allowed His beauty to shine through on this cold November morn by sending bright rays of sun-light to refract and reflect through the crystallized still air created by the 25 degree dawn.
This scene of serenity was in stark juxtaposition to my feelings at the moment. You see, I was suffering from some "Gotta Go Back to Work Blues". After a 5 day Thanksgiving Holiday, it was difficult for me to put my heart and mind into leaving my homestead this morning in exchange for my mundane place of employment in town. How I long to be able to stay at home and be with my family and perform the needed chores that are always needing attention; jobs that I seldom have time to attend to!
I am thankful for a good job. I truly am! And I know that I make a positive impact on the lives of many people at the school where I work. But that doesn't change the fact that sometimes I don't want to go in...
I had a nice Thanksgiving holiday, but with the Mumps keeping Timothy and Lisa quarantined at home, it was a hollow celebration for me. I am Thankful to the Lord that Timothy seems to be mostly recovered, now. God has taken very good care of us all, like He always does.
That's right, I said Mumps! The Mumps is an unusual disease, these days. Timothy has had his MMR vaccination on schedule, yet he still contracted the disease! Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, Timothy was cranky and not eating much, but couldn't articulate very well even in 2 year old language what he was feeling. By Wednesday evening, the right side of his face was swelling and he had a fever. Somehow, Lisa suspected the Mumps, even though we have never had any experience with it before. After some research on the internet, we knew that he was exhibiting the classic symptoms.
Lisa was off with Timothy to the hospital by 8:30 that night, just to make sure it wasn't something more serious and for advice on what we should do. After a variety of different tests for the next few hours, they ruled out everything they could think of. Finally they concluded that he did, indeed, have a case of the Mumps! (Maybe they should listen to the Mom?) The doctor said he should not travel to my mom's for Thanksgiving dinner, and he should remain quarantined for the next few days. The only medicine to use was pain reliever and time.
Everyone else made it to my mom's house. There were a total of 14 of us, including my mom and step-dad, me and my 4 oldest, my brother, sister-in-law and their 2 girls, my aunt and uncle on my mom's side, and my aunt on my dad's side! It was a blessing seeing everyone and giving thanks together; Mom did a fantastic job with the dinner!
It was also an adventure taking the RV. Matthew, Simon and I camped in the driveway, which was a lot of fun! The temps dropped to 26 overnight with snow showers, and ice formed on the inside of the windows in the camper! Our heater was not working, but it's amazing how warm one can stay under a mountain of covers, comforters, and quilts!
We got home safely and were reunited with Timothy and Lisa. Saturday and Sunday went by too fast and it was nice having Erica around, home from Bible college. She is still home, as a matter of fact, which was another reason coming in to work today was not the highest thought on my list of things to do! She returns to campus this evening after I get home.
I am so thankful for my family and for my home! And for my job, even. God has been very, very good to me! It is not right to complain and want more. That is just a sign of my fallen, human nature! I am thankful that I do not stay in that ugly place for long.
"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"! (1 Cor 15:57)
No comments:
Post a Comment