Life according to Nemo

" When life gets you down ya know what ya gotta do. I'll tell ya what ya gotta do. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming..."--- Dory

I know that sounds funny but it sort of describes our life this past week or so.

Starting with Mother's day...

Sat evening I went to the Mother/daughter banquet at Central with Mom, my girls, and my sisters, and we had plans for Sunday. After church, we were going to drive down to Houma to see Ed's Mom. Well, early Sunday morning Ed gets a text that his grandfather is in the hospital and they don't expect him to last much longer. Even though he was 91 yrs old, I think it was still a real shock in a way. He had been stable and, subconsciously, you just always expect your grandfather to be there. We had also been planning for awhile to go and see him but it just hadn't happened.

After a bit of discussion in which I was attempting to pack for any and all contingencies, we went ahead down to Houma and stayed until Monday evening. We found out around 2 Mon. afternoon that Papa was in heaven. Came on home for Ed to be at work Tues. morning but we knew we would be headed right back down there as soon as the funeral arrangements were made. (Papa had been living in Tennessee, but was going to be buried in Houma, LA.) Even though Ed was supposed to work until 6 Thursday morning, when we found out the funeral was to be Thurs. morning, he got off Wed evening and had someone cover the rest of his shift. We took off about 10 that evening getting in around 1:oo am. Then up again about 6:30 as the wake started at 8:00 am. It was a long day, but on the up-side, all of Ed's brothers and sister got to be together for the first time in about 10 years. Since everyone was there, he took one more day off work and we stayed until late Friday evening and then got in about 2:00 am Sat morning. And he had to be to work for 6:00 am. I was bone weary and I know Ed was the same way. At least his job isn't so demanding and he can rest to a degree. It was an overtime shift so he was back home about 7:30 that evening and then we had to run out and go birthday shopping for Isaac whose birthday was Sun. And, yes, we were having his party Sun afternoon because Ed was/is scheduled to work most of this week.

All I can say is, thank the Lord for Mondays! I guess they are for me like Friday is for most other people. I feel like I can breathe again. (Or at least I can grab a gulp of air before we go under again. lol)

I kind of feel like Marlin in "Finding Nemo"....like we've been swimming all over the ocean running into one thing after another. Forgive me if that's a little corny. The kids just saw it again at Ed's folks and I always enjoy watching it with them. It just seemed to fit. =)

I realize most of this has just been technical details but I feel so inadequate to even attempt to put into words all the things you think and feel at times like this. Thank you, to you who have prayed and expressed sympathy. We appreciate it so much.

I should...

I should be in bed...or at least in the bath getting ready for bed but I haven't been on here all week so I wanted to get a quick post in.

It's been an eventful week...between Asher teething, another round of allergy induced runny noses, and school (Yes, we got some done. More on that in a minute) my house looks like a train ran though it. Or maybe just 6 kids. We tried to clean some this evening, but even with all that the only place that looks decent is the bathroom. Hey, that's something anyway! I have been getting naps every day (planned and unplanned.lol) because last night was the first time since last Friday that Asher slept more than a couple hours. Bless his little heart, he has been miserable, but, thank the Lord, I think the worst is over.

So back to why we got school done this week. haha. I know that sounds funny but it's true. Ed had promised Aaron that he would take him canoeing this Friday, but since he still getting his school done I told him if it wasn't done in time he couldn't go. Closely following that he got an invitation to a birthday party at Laser Mania for next week, also conditional on him completing his school goals. Let me tell you I have NEVER seen a child more motivated. In a day and a half he has completed an entire week's worth of work and started on next week's. Letter perfect. Not one time have I heard "Mom, I just don't get this!" You can't imagine my delight. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to get it to happen again. =) Maybe this will help him realize that if he gets his goals done he will have lots of free time. I sure hope so. As it is we have to keep working through the summer (boo.=() But I'm really hoping it won't be as daunting as I'm expecting it to be. I had soooo hoped to have the summer off, but we just haven't been able to get it done.

Well, I gotta scoot and go get my bath...in case you are wondering why I'm taking one at 12:30 at night it's so I can get completely clean, wash my hair, and shave both my legs at the same time.

Goodnight!

Follow Up

Okay so just had another thought that sort of follows what I just posted and I had to write it down. It's about grace. Does God only give us grace when we are perfectly able to receive it? Because this isn't the first time for me to ask for grace for the day. Does he wait until we have done certain things to give it?

I was thinking about this and a comparison came to me. I always like to look at things like this from the parent/child relationship perspective.

What do I do when my kids ask me for something? I have this picture in my head of pouring Goldfish into their hands. We show them how to hold their hands just so, but if they are in a hurry it's going to spill. They aren't going to get all that they could have gotten if thy had taken time to "prepare" to receive the Goldfish. (i.e. get a cup, or hold their hands closer together, etc.). They will still get some, but will probably get hungry sooner.

Same with us and getting the things from the Lord that we ask of Him. He is constantly pouring His grace and mercy out on us, but if we never take the time to properly receive it...if we just grab some on the go...we are never going to quite have enough to satisfy. But if we take the time to hold out our hands and arrange them to best carry what He is giving, AND to keep coming back for more...we will have all that we need and then some.

The box of Goldfish (Grace) is going to still be sitting there waiting for the next pair of outstretched hands.

My Quiet Hour

I have now adopted the hour from 9:00 am to 10:00 am as "my hour". I am to be undisturbed for this hour so can spend some time reading my Bible and praying and preparing for the day.

I don't know why it took my so long to come back to this...tyranny of the urgent I guess...but we (Ed and I) both just realized that I really need this to be able to function. Not just properly but at all.

It came about last week (Thursday night, to be specific) when I was just at the end of my rope. I was literally ready to quit. Period. I had had it with attitudes and unfinished schoolwork, on top of everything else that is part of just living from day to day and taking care of the babies. I have never been so close to quitting homeschooling before. So before bed, I was sharing all of this with Ed over Skype (he was at work) and he tried to encourage me...get some rest, take my vitamins, he would deal with the attitudes when he got home...and then he reminded me of some verses from Matt. "Ask and it shall be given you...". I did. I asked and He gave. He reminded that "without me ye can do nothing" and I knew that I had to start seeking Him every morning.

I know all this sounds like I'm just now learning that I need a quiet time or even that I haven't prayed or read my Bible in 10 years. This is all stuff I've known since I was very young...theoretically anyway. Before I started having babies I had a regular quiet time every day. Then Life happened. I would still read my Bible but it wasn't a consistent thing. And I do talk to the Lord all the time. That truly is a life habit. But there wasn't that quiet uninterrupted time of reading and prayer and preparing myself for the day. Usually the day would just start and I would wake up running from the time my feet hit the floor. ( Or at least dragging. lol) And too, I'm NOT a morning person. It usually takes me forever to wake up. But since Friday morning I have had the most unusual grace to be able to just get right up and not feel like I'm prying my eyes open. I have been taking my vitamins more, but I know it's more than that. It's the Lord. And you can't imagine how wonderful it is to feel "able" to cope with everything my day is going to throw at me, and not feel like I'm barely hanging on.

It's all HIM and my daily prayer is for strength and grace and that I keep coming back for it. I can't get tomorrow's grace today. It's a daily thing.

So now, I get up at 9:00 and have my quiet time. And if the kids wake up before I'm done, they know they have to stay in bed and lay quietly or they can turn on the iPod and play Scriptures until we come tell them it's time to get up.

"Ministry Moments"

First let me say that I'm stealing most of these thought from Br Johnny's sermon last night although I"m drastically paraphrasing here. But it was such a blessing that it's much on mymind today and I had to share.

Have you ever thought that ministry is not a 4 step plan or a carefully made out list? It's doesn't happen in convenient little time slots and is not wrapped up in neat packages. As Jesus is our example in all things, look at His example in Mark 5: 21-43. He was ministering to a large crowd when Jairus comes running up and begs Him to come with him. he doesn't rebuke him or tell him to wait but immediately gets up and follows...(In other words, what He was already doing was not more important in His mind than Jairus' need). Then on His way to Jairus' house a woman with an issue of blood who has been sick 12 years touches His clothes and is healed. He stops in the middle of this chaotic throng to speak and minister to this woman...and then continues on His way to be met by scoffers and unbelievers. And yet He still ministers to each of these as is needed...He encourages those that don't have faith and gets rid of the mockers and scoffers, and then raises the little girl.

As I said before, I am very much paraphrasing the message and I'm sure not communicating it nearly as well, but this one thought keeps hanging with me.... Do I only minister where and when it's convenient or do I minister in the moment. Can I lay aside my preconceived notions of what my day was "supposed" to be like long enough to see the reals needs of my children or others. Ministry by it's nature is "in the moment", yet I so often tend to think I can minister best by "having a plan". But the best plan is to trust the Holy Spirit's leading on a moment by moment basis. Thank the Lord for His goodness and grace! my prayer is to see and capture all my "ministry moments".