I have to say, I hate the stomach bug. I have been through many illnesses with my kids and the one I hate most is the dreadful stomach bug. (Yes, I’m sure there is a real medical name for it but in my house, it’s just the stomach bug) My house has now had the privilege (sense the sarcasm) of having the stomach bug twice in the last two weeks.
It all started last week with Noah. Unfortunately, his started at nap time at pre-school and I was 2 1/2 hours away for work. Thank goodness Daddy was able to get him and he got the worst of that one. You know, the drive home with smelly nap sheets and clothes, then the gagging from the back seat and you know there is nothing you can do but let him puke in your truck. By the time I got home Noah was in a half awake/ half asleep state asking for food that I was not willing to let him have. The whole next day was spent washing sheets, cleaning every hard surface in the house and spraying Lysol on whatever could not be wiped down or thrown in the washing machine.
Then I sat back and waited. Waiting for the next kid to wake up vomiting. We made it a full 7 days and no one else showed a single sign of it. I thought I was in the clear. Then it happened, the middle of the night gagging sound from another room. To be honest, I didn’t hear this one, but my husband who was sitting up at 1 in the morning, trying to decompress from a looooooong day at work did. He yelled my name and I came running. There it was, Macy, hair hanging in her face and the tacos we had for supper spewed across her bed.
The next few hours were spent cleaning, bathing, moving her to another bed, her puking in that bed, cleaning again, moving her to our bed. Then, the rest of the night (or early morning by this time), I had a bowl and towel ready every time she moved. No more sleep for me, and poor daddy, who was exhausted and had another long day at work ahead of him, ended up sleeping in the recliner.
Oh yes, all parents despise the stomach bug.
Now the part where God always shows up, even in the most gruesome of parenting tasks. When Macy woke up puking, I of course felt bad for her, I hate to see my kids sick, but then I had the selfish thoughts of what my plans were for the next day. I had taken two vacation days at work so that I could work alongside my husband at our church. The church is hosting the Arkansas Baptist State Convention this week. It has been a huge undertaking and my husband, as Administrator at the church, has had a lot on his plate. I wanted to take some burden off him and be there to do whatever he needed done. So far we had made it through Sunday and Monday. I was having a great time being there and I was looking forward to today, the busiest day of all. Immediately my mind started thinking about the fact that I would not be able to be with him today. Instead I would be caring for a sick child and cleaning up vomit all day.
I had resigned myself to this fact though I was disappointed and quite honestly, feeling sorry for myself. I got my husband and my boys out the door and off to school and work. I then decided to go ahead and sit down and do my bible study since Macy was settled down with a movie for a bit. The very first line of my daily devotional was this: “Every time something thwarts your plans or desires, use that as a reminder to communicate with Me.” Yep, there it was in black and white, plain as day. God showed up, just as he always does. (If you need proof, the devotional is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, see link below)
So, I sat, read the Word and enjoyed some coffee and time with Jesus.
https://dailyjesuscallingdevotional.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/jesus-calling-november-3/