Unconnected thoughts

Here's a few random thoughts.
-I had the stomach flu last week and watched multiple re-runs of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" on Netflix. I love old TV! While laughing over hilarious, if improbable, scenarios, I was struck by how Laura treats her husband. She is sensitive to his needs - trying to arrange her words and actions to portray respect for him and his position in their home. She stays home to take care of him and their son and doesn't pursue work outside the home even though she is talented enough to get a good job. To alot of people today, that seems like she's not making full use of her abilities. It seems she'd be bored or resentful or uninteresting or lazy. Most women today long for "it all". They want a happy home life like Laura AND a fufilling career. But Laura is happy at home. She finds worth and value there. She's educated and interesting and talented, but she enjoys being a successful mother, wife, and home maker. And her husband and son appreciate it. Hmmmm...

-I've been reading the gospels some in my devotions, and I've been struck by the number of times Jesus goes off by Himself to be alone. He repeatedly leaves his disciples and tries to get away. And they repeatedly act like my 2 year old and track him down ruthlessly. They're constantly interrupting his alone time. Somehow it comforts me to know that Jesus knows how I feel when I get up early to do devotions and end up holding a baby with a two year old and a four year old climbing on me noisily within 5 minutes. Or how I feel when I lock myself in the bathroom for two minutes of peace and end up listening to three little people pound on the door screaming, "MOMMY!!!"

-I love snow, and I don't mind cool weather. But I REALLY need some sunshine! I know that I'll be glad for all the snow and rain in July when it stops, but really, could we get just a day or two here and there of sunshine and warm weather? I am going nuts in this house - mostly because my kids are going nuts in this house! Could I get some warning? If next winter's going to be like this, we need to buy a bigger house or something.
Ok, so I just looked at the weather. It's supposed to be 65 and mostly sunny on Thursday!!! Then I looked at Friday. 43 and a 70% chance of rain. Saturday? 37 with a chance of snow. Come on!!!

I quite homeschooling yesterday. My house was (ok, is) a mess. The girls were screaming. I had a MILLION other things to do. And I was trying to teach review math (no new, difficult concepts) to an extremely unmotivated 6 year old who was answering questions wrong on purpose because he thought it was funny. So I quit. I put the stuff away and told him he'd have to go to school in the fall. I don't care where. But I am not Superwoman. I can't homeschool an elementary student, give a preschooler, a toddler, and an infant everything they need, cook healthy, cheap meals (which means making alot of stuff from scratch), do endless piles of laundry, keep my house clean and organized, and be available for my husband when he needs me. It's too much. Something has to give because I feel like I'm losing my mind. Ok. I'm complaining. Probably not the best way to handle my frustration, but I do have a point. =)
Here goes. This is what I read in "My Utmost for His Highest" today:

"We are not meant to be illuminated versions, but the common stuff of ordinary life exhibiting the marvel of the grace of God. Drudgery is the touchstone of character. The great hindrance of spiritual life is that we will look for big things to do. "Jesus took a towel...and began to wash the disciples' feet."...Learn to live in the domain of drudgery by the power of God...The tiniest detail in which I obey has all the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I do my duty, not for duty's sake, but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience the whole superb grace of God is mine through atonement."

This is Chambers' thought for the day taken from I Peter 1:3-8.

"Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualitites are your and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This is encouraging to me. First it gives me a list to guide what to consider important in my personal growth and in guiding my kids. Apply diligence in faith to grow in moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Those are the things I should be focusing on. And then it reminded me that the drudgery of life (changing diapers, washing dishes, folding laundry, scrubbing the toilet) is of worth in God's eyes - even if in no one else's. The world does not put a high value on what I do every day. In fact they degrade it. But it is what God has called me to do for now, and in obeying His calling, I bring Him glory.
I still have no idea what to do with Ethan for school, but I feel less frustrated at least. =)