“Have you not know”
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary . . . “ Isaiah 40:28a
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with me . . .” 43:2
We have been having cabin fever. The children are wild with energy. They don’t want to play outside, although it hasn’t been too cold for them to go for a bit. I was about to go insane . . .
Then like a breath of fresh air, yesterday morning my husband watched the children for me while I went to town BY MYSELF! This was a special occasion indeed. In fact so much so that I woke up at 3:30 that morning and couldn’t go back to sleep.
Well, it wasn’t all that . . . I started thinking about some things I wanted to do the next few weeks while Japheth and Wayne will be in Thailand and I would have a eleven year old girl and an eight year old staying here with me.
Yes, plans are finally in order now for Wayne’s eye surgery. We have been praying and seeking God for direction and we feel led to have it done in Thailand. (Japheth can explain in more depth later) They fly out Tuesday morning. They as in Japheth, Wayne, and the Hesses who are going along to have their 13 year old daughter operated on as. I’m so glad Japheth has someone to travel that LOOOOOONG flight with.
Last time we went to Thailand it was just Japheth and I (I was about 5 months pregnant) and it was so wearing. I couldn’t imagine taking a baby along!!!! Maybe for some it’s not so bad, but I CANNOT sleep while in car or bus or airplane or airports. I often have desperately wished that God had wired me different, but God doesn’t make mistakes and so I make comfort myself with that fact.
Anyway I was got up and made a schedule for while the other two Hess girls will be here and laid out a plan for us to do some special project each day, like going to the library, making cookies for the freezer, visiting at the nursing home, sewing little girl dresses, sledding, making meals for the freezer (Can you tell I’m stocking up for baby?), making comforts, de-boning chicken, going to thrift stores, ect.
It was exciting too in the fact that I would have one less to care for, though I will miss my baby LOTS!!!, and I would have two older girls here with helping hands (When we aren't having school). Maybe I could feel caught up with things for once!?!? Thus sleep eluded me.
Yes, yesterday I came home feeling sane again. There’s just something about being walled in with four rowdy children four and under that drives a person insane at times.
I think it is the mess factor. Now that we are blessed with three levels of house space, I find myself following the children from floor to floor cleaning up the messes they leave behind. For example, it is wash day, so I go down to the basement to hang up the laundry and forget to bring Loraine down with me. She is a very BUSY little body especially in my kitchen where she will climb and put a cup of salt into one of her older brother’s bowls of soup that he was to eat at the next meal because he didn’t finish it at the last mealtime! So I remember her up there . . . dash up to find her on the counter doing that. Discipline comes and I am trying to clean up when I realize the boys went upstairs to “play house” and they have ransacked the place. Then I call Japheth Jr. down to help hang up some of the wash, but as the clothes line is high (I can barely reach) there isn’t much he can do. (We do have a wooden foldable clothesline that he uses. It is a blessing!)
Finally, that load is hung and we all go upstairs to repair the damage done in the boys room. Meanwhile Wayne has woken up from his nap and is howling on the main floor for attention and a bottle. So leaving the children with a few instructions on how to clean up their mess, I retreat to take care of Wayne only to come back up and the boys have left their jobs and are playing again. And so in circles we go!
Now not every day is this way . . . but I am glad that My God faints not neither is weary, for on Him I have to lean. And when the “waters “of messes overwhelm my soul I cling to His “I will be with thee.”
And just as I was writing this I had to stop and administer the rod as my boys were not being quiet and going to sleep as I told them to. So with the “canning” came wails that woke up the two youngest who have just begun their naps.
Isaiah’s word of “and through the rivers they will not overflow you.” comes to comfort me again and bring strength to my soul.
What would I do without God?
7 comments:
Oh my, Aimee. I can understand the daytime tending to toddlers. I had 6 children 5 and under and it could get hairy on rainy days, that's for sure. I was thankful for a basement on those days, cuz the noise level seemed more tolerable down there than upstairs running around all day.
I always put the older children downstairs and kept the baby upstairs for naptimes, partly so they wouldn't affect each other's sleep, and I finally got to where I would let all 5 older ones sleep in one room, but there were severe consequences if they egged each other on and didn't go to sleep or rest quietly themselves.
I miss those days of children filling my world.........but I don't miss that responsibility really! I'm ready for my own children though.....
~Lez
Lez, when is your little one due? How's it going? . . . It's an adjustment isn't it to being pregnant? I thought it might get easier . . . I'm not sure. Hope everythings fine!
So Bill and Carol Hess go to your church?? My hubby grew up in Illinois with them and in fact my sister -in- law is Bills sister. I often wondered if it was your church they go to now. I also taught Phil in 2nd grade.
Wish everyone the best as they fly to Thailand.
~Arlene Clugston
Would those be the same four children I offered to help with when we visit this spring!
I know I answered this on our blog, Aimee, but for the sake of your readers, I'll answer your question again here---
I'm due May 8, and the closer I come to that time, the more I'm praying fervently! If you read my comment on Cretora's blog, there's a lot of commotion already 'scheduled' over the time of my due date, and it's overwhelming to think about at times!
Thank you also for your encouragement about name-choosing!
We've chosen our names already--without needing a book, but I hadn't thought of the Bible verses to go along with those names.
God Bless You this week!
~Lez
Oh Aimee, I can SO relate! I keep telling myself, "be proactive, not reactive...be proactive, not reactive..." If I can get them set up helping me or doing some project, it ususally helps eleviate the whole house messes, but it's definately easier said than done!
Amiee, may God watch over you and the other children,and be with Japheth and Wayne as they go to Thailand for Wayne's eye surgery. I remember dealing with our daughter at two when she had her eye surgery, which did not involve a long trip by air. Japeth raises the image of a Daddy to a higher level in my eyes.
You are indeed blessed with an exceptional husband too; I hope to meet him face to face someday. I learn much from him everytime I read his thoughts. Japheth mirrors his earthly father's spiritual teaching well in following his heavenly Father's voice.
May God keep you all in His hand.
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