Rough Week

For me, I started a blog to have a place to record memorable things my kids did and said. I like sharing our lives with family and friends who live far away. It shrinks the miles between us. But by sharing our great moments, I hide some of the "real-life" moments. Well, not this time. I am just having a flat-out crummy week, and there's no use in hiding it.

In the span of a few days, here is what's been swimming through my spirit. Strep throat for Aaron, pneumonia for my baby niece, the sudden freakish death of a young mother with 3 small children (6, 4, and 8 days old), a grandpa in grave condition needing amputation surgery, an upside-down schedule revolving around construction projects and extra people living in my home, a birthday party tomorrow for my 5 year old and a few of his friends, a migraine this morning, and a cancelled get-away trip I'd been anticipating with my sisters and mother-in-law. When I sift through these things and see so much pain around me, I feel selfish for grieving the loss of a trip. I mean, where does that rank in the scheme of things? Still, this is where I'm at. Ironically enough, my ladies Bible study centered around contentment yesterday. I can tell I need some (lots) of work in this area. My poor husband is fed up with my moping around the house, and I don't blame him. I think I've been given this headache this morning to slow me down and humble me a bit.

I think of Rachel's family burying her this week and weep for them. A heart-wrenching loss that happened to occur on her oldest child's 6th birthday. I pray and pray for Derek's grandpa and his health, all the while remembering how many years he's been the grandpa to me that I never had. I love him very much. I see Aaron and my niece getting better, praise God. My headache medicine is working--another praise.

So that is what I'm living through this week. I think learning the lesson of contentment is about as much fun as learning the lesson of patience. Still, I press on.