Helping Daddy Ray on the Farm: Bored lately? Go lead a Bible Study

or something along those lines ... do something that is completely out of your comfort zone and gets the devil and his army on high alert and stirred up like crazy. Like if satan doesn't stop you, God is going to be getting a whole lot of glory and people are going to see Him on his throne and the devil wants none of that. Just reading your Bible for the first time or more than usual, that is enough to get him knocked out of his socks and ready to come after you. If you do not believe in spiritual warfare and the devil pulling all stops to get his agenda seen, just check out our last 4 weeks.

When I got home from our very first Wednesday night of the Bible study, Children of the Day, that a friend of mine and I are leading at our church, Bowen had a 102 fever. Sweet CR had stayed home with him and Patton so that they could get to bed at a decent time and when I saw Bowen I knew he was not well. The next day the fever was still there and he was refusing to eat more than about 2 ounces of formula within a 5 hour period. That afternoon I took him in and the doctor said he had an ear infection and virus, don't be too concerned about him not eating, throat red so probably hurts, etc. Well this game went on for almost 2 weeks with him. That following Sunday Kirby came down with the virus, with a little bit higher fever that wouldn't break. She also had an ear infection and by day 6 of the fever, we finally saw some relief. Next it was my turn. Then back to Bowen. This time around he was really getting puny so I took him in on a Sunday, nothing they could do, fluid in ears but no longer infected ... but by Tuesday they were definitely infected, doctor called in a stronger antibiotic, follow course. The next day as I was preparing to load my car up for Bible study, Bowen got extremely fussy and then finally calmed down ... picked him up and he had, lets just say, a 10 of a diaper on the scale of nasty. When I opened it I could not believe by eyes. Fear drenched my entire body. I will save you the picture, but it was one of the scariest mom moments of my life. It appeared to be a diaper full of blood. I asked CR his opinion and he said it looked like a diaper full of blood and so did my father-in-law. Thats when I began to get clammy and really nervous. I don't "freak out" but this was freak out worthy and I was borderline. We called the pediatrician and were advised to get him to the children's ER as soon as possible to have an ultrasound of his bowels and tests run. Diaper in suit, we loaded up and flew to Corpus. A few hours later we find out red stools is a side effect of the new antibiotic he was on. Praise the Lord, but I was peeved none the less ... I missed my night to give a testimony. Continue on to this week, CR had to be in San Antonio for a few days and low and behold on Tuesday Kirby showed signs of having a UTI. Scheduled an appointment for her the next morning along with Bowen's 6 month check up that was already on the board. And as I was getting Patton to bed, I noticed he was warm, took his temperature and would you believe HE had spiked a fever? I thought to myself, "Oh boy, tomorrow is going to be one for the books!"

I prayed most of Tuesday night for a smooth day. Knowing that I was going to have a 5 year old doll, 3 year old wild hair, and 6 month old booger in tow at the doctors office I was a little anxious. But I woke up Wednesday morning with this incredible peace that could only come from Him. I made sure to get in a workout and listened to a sermon while pumping iron because I knew I needed both to survive the day. Single moms and military wives, I applaud you daily. I just had to do this for a few days, when I think about doing it all the time I get a twitch ... I know too, though, that God has a way to get you through it.

I tell you what, we have been blessed with some awesome kiddos. I don't brag on them much but I will now ... what I thought was going to be a disaster, ended up blessing my heart more than any other day we have had yet. We were in the car, doctors office, lab office, car again, and church from 9-5 and I did not have a single blow up or nervous breakdown. Holla! Only by the power of God! I asked Dr. Guthrie when he came in, "Do we sound like a funny farm from out there?" He laughed and said, "Not at all ... sounds much better than most and like y'all are having a good time." I mean y'all, I had all 3 in a bathroom with me trying to get little doll to pee in a cup. Can you even imagine the hilarity? And the inquisitive look from Patton as I did such task??? And then when I told him it was his turn to go potty .... heavens, he thought he was having to pee in a cup, too. Moments for the cookie jar indeed.

Kirby ended up having a pretty hardcore UTI, and Bowen ... poor thing ... still has the dang ear infections. Possibly RSV, too. The swab from the week and a half before was negative, but every other sign lines up with that so, there you go. 6 trips to the doctor and 1 to the ER all within 4 weeks of each other. Praise the Lord for providing an insurance plan with copays. Aye yae yae.

Want to know what I have learned thus far from all of this? I know this pales in to comparison what some go through with kiddos and being sick. I have a long list of children that are terminally ill that I continuously pray for, but that doesn't mean that this isn't hard in and of itself. In Matthew 18:3 it says, "And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." So, that is the lesson ...

Yesterday when we got out of the car, the long day behind us, Kirby and Patton ran around in our yard with pink flamingoes that had appeared 2 days before. Kirby asked if she could go in and get her super hero cape (from my awesome bestie Bethany!). When she came out I asked her what it was for and she looked at me (like how do you NOT know this mom) and said, "Because I am a super-hero-flamingo-trainer!" And her and Patton proceeded to pretend to train and heard the plastic pink birds. I just sat there, holding Bowen in the wooden rocking chair and took it all in. My mind slightly raced to what I was supposed to be doing (opening up in prayer at our Bible study) but then came back to what was before me. Innocence, pure delight, joy, not a care in the world, wide-eyed inspiration and imagination. Fully knowing that I was there to watch them and protect them, just like I knew God was fully there watching, protecting and guiding me along this time of tested patience and endurance. I had to become like a little child these last few weeks and fully, fully rely on His power to sustain me. Sleep is completely a luxury far gone, caffeine and workouts help for the most part, but I full well know that the only way I have gotten through and will continue to get through this life is with Him. But I daily have to humble myself like a little child, come to him stripped of my guilty shame, humble and meek and say, "Guide me, heck carry me through this day." I will not hand over my joy, innocence, and life to satan ... he can throw kinks, but my God is bigger.