Prince of Peace

Wednesday, December 12.

I didn't know what Advent kind of thing we'd do today.  It's a Wednesday, "surprise or treat" day, but I didn't have any surprise or treat around.

I woke up at 4am, couldn't get back to sleep.  Victor woke up at 4:30am, and then started coughing at 5am.  He's had a cough for a couple months now, just can't shake it.

I knew it was going to be a hectic day.

Start a load of laundry,
Move it to the dryer, start another load.
Read a book to Victor.
Put Victor down for a nap.
Eat breakfast while starting work.
Work while Victor sleeps (and coughs).
Victor up; change diaper, feed cereal, pack up for trip to grocery store.
Feed Victor Cheerios while unloading groceries.
Put Victor down for a nap.
Put cheesy potatoes in roaster.
Make 6 peanut butter pies.
Victor up; wash a couple dishes; leave the rest.
Take a walk around the block with Victor.
Feed Victor.
Remember I need to make carrots, 15 min before leaving for doctor appointment.
Boil water, peel carrots, make glaze, while feeding Victor Cheerios.
Pack up Victor for doctor appointment.
Remove spare set of clothes from bag, so it's less bulky.
Get to doctor, discover Victor's diaper leaked, and no spare clothes.
Discover slight ear infection and low grade fever.
Get chest x-ray, nebulizer, prescription for 3 meds for cough.
Get home, realize potatoes don't look like enough to feed guys.
Carrots don't look like enough to feed guys.
Feed Victor cereal and put on his pjs.
Feed Victor Cheerios while loading food into van.
No time to go to pharmacy for meds.
Hit patch of ice on curve heading for office, but recover.
No time to cut hams.
Realize I forgot the special gluten-free potatoes and the half and half in fridge at home.
Serve guys food.
Load up dirty dishes into van.
Drive home, singing to fussy Victor.
Snuggle Victor in sleep sack, feed Victor, down for bed.
Carry in dirty dishes.
Decide to leave wreckage in kitchen for tomorrow.
Realize I forgot to dry 2nd load of laundry (including my pjs).
Text Ben to ask him to get meds from pharmacy on his way home.
Read email update from friend having recurrent health struggles.

This is the stuff of life.  This isn't persecution--it's not even much suffering.  It's just the layer upon layer of challenge, weakness, temptation, mercy, and labor that makes up our portion in this fallen world.

Sometimes the layers start feeling heavy, burdensome.  I look around and see dirty dishes, unfolded clothes, stacks of paper, scattered toys.  The Christmas lights don't make it all rosy.

But when I pause for a moment to really assess the stuff of this day, I feel so grateful.  What a privilege, to invest energy in the little son God has entrusted to us for this season.  What a special joy, to still have a part serving my church.  What lavish generosity, that we can stop in to see a doctor and get help for minor challenges before they evolve into major complications.  What dominion God has granted, for medicines to restore and help little growing bodies.  And what a hope, that even in the bleakest, grimmest, most desperate straits we know the King is coming to set all right and grant life and light where it seems most impossible.

I listened to this song tonight.  It gets me a little foggy eyed, when I'm tired.  And it sets my mind on the great confidence and hope Christ purchased for us through His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection.


So I guess that's the treat for today, for me.