A Sweatpant Week

Have you ever had a sweatpants day? You know, when you have no desire to leave the house. Well this week has been a sweatpants week! The big kids both had running noses and the 3 boxes of tissue we had were gone in 2 days. They did not want to do anything including school work which made it hard for all of us. Only after the fact, do I realize, that their little heads and bodies were hurting too. Clay tells me often that he does not want to do school so when he told me a couple of days this week, I just assumed it was as usual. When someone is not feeling well, it seems to make all of us grumpy--a sweatpants week!

This morning I awoke with a sore throat and runny nose. I wish I had gotten sick first to know what those little darlings felt like and would have had more sympathy for them and the tears and tissues that were used this week. The kids, thankfully, are feeling much better. We did not start school off first thing this morning for obvious reasons. I decided to wait until after lunch while our little lady was napping.

I told the big kids to pull the dirty linens off of their bunk beds. They went to work creating a great mound of pillows, sheets, and blankets for jumping and Blake joined in as well. I brought clean linens into the room and helped them make the beds. Clay was working on the top bunk and I on the bottom. Clay asked me if he had Jesus in his heart. I answered, " I do not know, did you ask Jesus to be in your heart?" I told him that is something only he can do. We had talked baptism and the A B Cs (admit, believe, and confess) many time before. He had learned lots of scripture on the topic-I myself have wondered when it would all click and at one time was anxious for it. Clay then popped his head around the side of the bed and said,"Well He is there now, 'cause I just asked Him to come into my heart!" I was speechless-numb actually. I knew that he knew and when I thought about how this little guy is wired-it is indeed the way Clay works. Any other time, I sat down with a child and the Bible and answered questions and looked up scripture to lead them.

In my numbness, I went to the phone to call Mark. Clay did not know that is what I was doing and he beat me there saying, "I got to call dad!" We left a message and then Clay called him back later and got him. Mark believed without a doubt!

I talked with a friend on the phone later that day and he asked if I told her. I told him it was his good news to tell and he said, "I want you to tell everyone."

Mark had a long day and I told Clay that dad and I would like to sit, talk and pray with him tonight. Clay suggested we put the girls to bed and let him stay up longer and maybe even play a video game-nice try on the video game.

Mark took the big kids to get ice cream and cones (a bonus) at the store to celebrate Clay's spiritual birthday. We did our bedtime routine and then the 3 of us nestled on the couch. We talked about his decision and Clay shared some scripture with us: 1John 4:14 and John 3:16. He had memorized them but looked them up in my Bible to show us. Both verses tells of our need for a Saviour. I so needed to hear that from him! He was able to tell us that he needed to be saved from his sins and defined what a sin. Mark talked to him about his need for a Lord as well. Clay was able to relate that to Jesus being the Shepherd and our being the sheep. Clay loved that time with both of us and to discuss the WORD! We prayed, hugged him another million times and sent the soul for whom the angels were rejoicing to bed. All the time, I was wearing my sweatpants and now they just don't seem so YUCK anymore.

Dear God, thank you for answering this 8 year prayer that Mark and I began with the news of this tiny person growing in my womb. You are faithful God, to the unfaithful. Thank you for blessing me, as I feel I am holding that new born baby in my arms all over again! I pray that he will live each day according to this moment! Thank you God for being Father.