Sharing

My parents, Sunday School teachers, and "regular" teachers always taught us to share - generosity is a good thing.

Until it comes to germs.

Littlest One, Capt, and Princess are all sporting varying degrees of sinus congestion and cough with Littlest One being the worst - most likely because at 18 months, she's not really getting the "blow your nose" thing quite yet.

BB is sporting symptoms of either Lyme Disease (but not a likely situation since the ticks in CO are generally NOT carriers of the disease), a stroke, OR, some other sort of bacterial infection resulting in migraine-like headaches accompanied by joint aches, stiff neck, and blurred vision.

Needless to say, our house is not a particularly happy place to be right, but I am striving to maintain a joyful attitude as I care for my family and their physical needs. I'm pushing through the daily tasks of housekeeping, and shouldering the bulk of the things BB normally does as well, as he just physically can't do them right now.

Please pray for the health of my family - that we'll be swiftly and easily restored to full physical health. Pray for BB and his doctor to determine what the cause of his issues are and that we can easily and swiftly be cured of them. Pray for me - I'm starting feel congested and have that tell-tale itch in my throat that usually signals the onset of a nasty cold. Being that I seem to end up with chest colds, bronchitis and the like every time I get sick, please pray that I will be able to stay hydrated and rest well to avoid getting sick at all. Please also be praying that I can continue in this new commitment to be joyful and look at my life as an at-home Mom and wife as my profession, not just "the way it is" with strength and energy.

On another note, I recently downloaded a podcast of a message from Church that we missed due to being out of town earlier this summer, and it was all about struggling with "attitude stuff". Our pastor cited Ephesians as his text that day, and I have now listened to the message 6 times. It has really touched a place in my heart as to how I can be a better woman, wife, mother, daughter etc.

The best illustration he gave? Imagine you fill a jar with water, and go through your day with that jar. No lid, no carrying device but your own hands. As you move through your day that jar will get jiggled, jostled, tipped, and as you go over the bumps some will spill over. Why does water come out of the jar? Because it is getting bumped etc? Because there is nothing on top to keep it in? Here's the answer: Water is coming out of the jar, because water is what is in the jar! Simply put, our attitude is at our control - what we put in (anger, frustration, bitterness, joy, happiness, contentment) is what will spill over when faced with tough situations!

Not truly profound when put into black and white, but WOW did that really whack me upside the head...God truly used that message to convict me of my own issues.

Are there things about BB that could be improved? Sure! He's human, after all. Is it my place to change him? NOPE! All I can do is control what I'm putting into my own mind, and what I'm allowing to spill over. I can communicate to the people in my life the things that can cause me frustration, but I can ONLY change how I react to the those things. I cannot make them change their own behavior.

That said, please be praying for me as I learn to fill myself with "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—anything...excellent or praiseworthy".