I haven’t had much time to blog because of various life circumstances and oh, WE ARE CONSTANTLY SICK IN THIS HOUSE.  I am sure many of you feel my pain, because as they say, “‘Tis the season!” But I did manage to find this old blog post I never published. I wrote it right around Easter, when Gavin was in the middle of a week-long bout of a cold/puking/whatever nasty combination he had. It is very relevant to life right now and this Christmas season. Enjoy, and hope your family is staying healthy!

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I haven’t had much on my mind since January besides feedings, diapers, when I can snatch a wink of sleep and taking pictures of my awesome kids. I sneak in a little devotional here and there, make it to church when I can and even manage to jot down some prayers in my journals, but beyond that, my spiritual musings have been left wanting.

This Easter weekend, however, I found extra time, if you can call it that, by being home-ridden with a sick baby. We’re missing out on lots of our fun plans, and this gorgeous weather because I’m busy cleaning up puke, doing laundry, convincing a baby that medicine is delicious, and refilling the coffee pot.

Yesterday, on his second day of being sick, I found myself settling into the routine of caring for him. He was so miserable that I was more focused on making him comfortable that I felt the desire to complain less. Yes, I was disappointed to be missing out on so much, but I found it harder and harder to dwell on that. I was glad to be the one to take care of my little boy. For the simple fact that I love him.

I also decided to use the time to pray. Not necessarily to beg for Gavin to get better but to ask God for wisdom, much like Solomon…wisdom in caring for Gavin, wisdom in the best way to feed him (that won’t make him puke), wisdom in when to call the doctor, etc.

As I reflected on the fact it was Black Friday, I simply tried to remember what that means for me. For all of us.

It means that Jesus does not leave us alone in our mess. We are pretty despicable on our own. Just watch the news. Just listen to the words that come out of your mouth when you’re angry, or the words your heart speaks when you let the ugly in. We would certainly die alone in this mess if Jesus had not come.

I am caring for Gavin this weekend because I love him. Period. I have the power to leave if I want. I could go outside, enjoy the sun, hang out with my family and just leave Gavin alone to suffer. That sounds completely ridiculous, but I could. I don’t do that because not only do I love him, but it goes against every natural inclination to leave him. I would never leave him alone to suffer, and I will do everything in my power to not only make him better but keep him with me.

That’s Jesus and us. God had the power to ignore us and enjoy his celestial existence without us. But to Him, that’d be insane. He loves us. Period. So he enters the suffering with us, helps us clean up our messes when we allow it, and shows us ways to get better…to be better. We just need to listen. Stop focus on what we’re missing and start paying attention to what we could have missed in God if He had not rescued us.

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 8:38-39

“O, people of God, be great believers! Little faith will bring your souls to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your souls.” ~ Charles H. Spurgeon