Should Be

I am sitting in my kitchen pondering all the things I SHOULD BE doing right now.

I just got Laila down for her nap. I have had to go in 2 times because she was playing.

Rick is home sick with a stomach bug and after 24 hours is still running a fever.

Everything in me is begging God to not allow this to spread in our house.

Isaiah has been so sweet and caring with his Daddy. He HAS to be touching him. I guess that is because his love language is touch. At one point, he said to me, "Mom, can you just put your hand on him right here?" In case you haven't figured out, touch is NOT one of my love languages.

The counter is piled high with dishes that I SHOULD BE washing and loading in the dishwasher.

I SHOULD BE getting the food ready to prepare our dinner tonight.

I SHOULD BE baking the cookies that Cody needs for a party at school tomorrow.

I SHOULD BE sorting through the pile of girls' clothes that are too small for Lauren and Abby.

I SHOULD BE cleaning something. There are at least 100 things in our house screaming out to be cleaned right now.

Guess what? I can't do any of those things right now. Nothing in me can muster up the energy to complete ANY of those tasks.

The last week and a half has been one of those WOW times that you know you are not going to forget, but it has drained me emotionally and physically beyond explanation.

God has called me to do some hard things.

-Parenting has been hard. I have had to be the tough guy, not the friend.

-Relationships have been hard. I am going to have to humble myself in a way that is uncomfortable.

-Running our household has been hard. This new chores' plan that I have implemented with the kids is making things better, but there are new challenges to work through.

-Having Rick down for the count is hard. Every day, I wait for him to come home for some help, relief, and support. Because of our schedules over the last week and his sickness, we have not really seen much of each other since last Friday night. That is weighing on me.

The thing that God keeps drawing my attention to is my character in this thing called, "my life." Even today, I read that my life is not about my comfort, but my character. So, I recenter myself and ask God to give me the strength to make the choices that honor and glorify Him and that develop my character as His child.

I know all the things I SHOULD BE doing right now.

I think instead, I will choose to rest for the brief hour that I have before the real chaos begins.

Maybe that is exactly what my character needs right now, a break, to reboot and be ready to reengage my kids and their crazy schedules that will begin at 3:00 and will involve the next 6 hours of my day.