Living By Daily Grace

Mar. 31, 2008 - Burning the House Down, Tornadoes, & Newborn Babies

This is an update to my previous post. The day only got more interesting!!!

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Today has been a very typical Monday for us. We haven't done "school" in over 4 weeks so it was time to get back into it. My dh and I have been reading alot about Charlotte Mason's ideas so we've made some drastic changes to our school. Everything this morning was fairly new. Not the curriculum but the way we did things. Our day started off well until I discovered that my children had decided the standards for chores changed since Nana and Gramps were here. So I made them redo their chores this morning as a reminder that the standards haven't changed.

Before I called everyone back upstairs, one of my children decided that he/she were going to help me get our oatmeal started for the morning. I will let the older ones measure the oatmeal and water but never turn it on. It's been a long running rule that no one turns on the stove or oven on unless I say so. I definitely did not say to turn it on. After I called the children back to redo their chores, I noticed this one particular child go racing downstairs. I was smelling something "funny" by this time but my nose smells many "funny" things right now with the pregnancy so I didn't think anything of it. Then the child returned. . .devastated.

You have to understand that this child is very sensitive in his/her spirit. There isn't too much discipline required on the big stuff because they KNOW when they are wrong and NEVER make that type of mistake again. So when this child came into the room with tears running down his/her face I knew it was bad. And then I remember what the smell was. I didn't say anything I just ran. What I found when I got downstairs was worse than I thought. A burned pot of oatmeal I can handle. Oatmeal cooked to the surface of my stove can be scraped off. But this child didn't know that when you move a pot off the stove that you either move it to a cold burner OR you put a pot holder under it. There is now a forever reminder of the burn oatmeal incident BURNED into my kitchen cabinet. I always wandered what would happen if you put a really hot pot of food on the cabinet without a pot holder. I got to find out this morning.

Ah, Monday!! After my child burned breakfast (and ruined the only pot I had left to make anything in) we had no breakfast. Tomorrow is shopping day so the cupboards are bare. I ended up having to shuffle everyone into the car and run to Chick Fil A for hashbrowns. God seemed to know something was going to happen because I found an extra $15 in my purse that I didn't know I had this morning.

This morning provided me with the opportunity to remind my child of the gospel. And I got a great reminder. I remembered all the big mistakes I made as a child and wasn't shown much grace and mercy. And the other times when I was shown grace and mercy. Underdog hasn't seen the burned spot. And this child definitely went out of his/her own and created the mess in the first place. I don't know if there will be an earthly consequence for these actions. Nonetheless, I am not mad or upset. I never was. I was scared that wouldn't show grace and mercy. I was scared of my tendency NOT to be merciful. But God was merciful toward me and my family deserves nothing less. So I held myself back and showed as mercy and grace as I could.

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Later in my day I had plans to make a great lentil and rice casserole and fold laundry. That changed suddenly when I got a massive headache and remembered we had a dry line headed our way. A dry line always means severe weather in Texas. So I checked the radar on the computer and notice that our area had a red box around it. Then the radar refreshed on it's own. Suddenly there was a purple box. I thought purple meant hail so I called my dh to see if he wanted me to try to pull the car into the garage so we didn't get anymore hail damage. He said yes so we headed to the garage to move things around so I could pull the car in. When I got back in, I sat down to check radar again. Then it struck me. Purples boxes don't mean hail. .. . . .THEY MEAN TORNADO WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first though was don't panic and turn on the TV. Sure enough, we had a cell headed our way and it was "scheduled" to arrive in 20 minutes. The baby was still napping and both of my little boys were in cloth diapers and nothing else. I got the closet cleaned out and put some food and the first aid kit in there. The kids quickly caught on and panic set in. I asked JB to change her baby brother but she was so scared she could hardly think straight. I changed him and did convince her to help her other borhter get a new pull up on and some clothes on. Then the sirens went off. HELLO!!!!! It did not look that bad outside but I shuffled everyone into the closet anyway. I stayed out watching the weather on the TV and trying to convince one of our dogs that she needed to get in the closet. As I watched the TV the cell just kept getting smaller and smaller. By the time the most serious purple part of the cell got to us it was only rain. I don't think the funnel cloud ever touched the ground. Nonetheless, I was a little scared. I am now convinced that it would be a good idea to put together an emergency box even if we never use it. I just wasn't prepared for anything to happen. We prayed before the sirens went off that God would protect us. It was about that time that the cell began to fall apart. My children immediately recognized that and it was fun to watch their faith increase.

On a lighter note, I was invited to attend the home birth of a friend of mine. i have never seen a live birth besides my own, so she welcomed me to come. She wasn't getting started very fast so I assumed that I would miss it tonight. Then her water broke. He dh called me to come quick. I missed it by 3 minutes. She had the most beautiful petite little girl I have ever seen. They don't have a name for her yet. But little girl will be well loved in the family of 5 sisters and one big brother. I felt privileged to be apart of the family sharing in that miracle.

Although this day had ups and downs, it ended very well. I wander what tomorrow will hold?

Mar. 31, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

Thanks for sharing this. Mercy and Grace is something that I struggle with showing now and then. I don't yell much, but I do express my frustration and I know my sensitive children may feel the sting at times. I quickly apologize and it brings us closer, but I would rather skip the middle part with me losing patience and needing to seek forgiveness! God's obviously still working on me in this area.

I need to stop and remember that my child is more valuable than the dining room carpet, living room couch, bathroom floor, bunk bed, (or whatever they have just made a mess of this time, or made us late for . . .) and value them for the unique creation they are in Christ.

Thanks again for that reminder.
~Erin
http://delightinginhisrichness.blogspot.com/

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Apr. 7, 2008 - Hi

Posted by momofsix

I love the top of your blog with the children's pictures! That is so unique and beautiful.

The finch pictures is also amazing. I enjoyed reading about them.

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I love having a place on the web to simply write out my thoughts. I am a wife and mother to 5 very special blessings ages 6 months to 8 yod. As I am growing through this season of my life, I hope to share how the Lord is teaching me to live by His daily grace and not by my own strength.

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Mar. 31, 2008 - Burning the House Down, Tornadoes, & Newborn Babies

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