Y’all. This has been a week. Maria and all three girls have succumbed to some sort of crazy, mutant cold virus that has had them doing all three things from the title. Apparently, “sharing is caring,” and they apparently really care about each other. Somehow or other, by hook or by crook (or by lots of vitamins, prayer, and handwashing), I have remained unscathed. (Knocking on wood.) We have left the mighty shores of Lake Superior and are now in Stillwater, MN. From a lake to a river.
Yesterday the virus really hit the fan, though. Our day culminated with Maria driving herself to the local ER to check out her crazy cough while I stayed back at our rental with the three coughing children. It occurred to me this could be God saying, “You know, Patti, you complain a lot that you ‘have no purpose’ in life and ‘no one needs you anymore,’ so here you go. A big dose of purpose!” It wasn’t exactly what I had planned, but you deal with life as it’s handed to you.
I managed to sneak away to a local church service Sunday morning, and the pastor talked about “looking for the good.” So that’s what I’m doing. I don’t like that my family has been sick, but we’ve still been together, and I’ve been able to help out. Even through all the coughing and sneezing and fevering, we’ve managed to laugh and enjoy each others’ company.
Maria came home from the ER with possible pneumonia. But she has medicine to help and I’m going to believe that this is the start of an “upswing.” We still have a few days before we all fly to our respective homes. I wouldn’t turn away any prayers that we all are in good shape to travel this Friday.
I’ll leave you with the Bible verse I heard in church on Sunday. It’s Romans 8:28 and says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” All things. Including sick days. We might not be doing the touristy things we aimed to do, but we’re still together. And that’s what matters most.
I hope you can find some silver linings this week too.
Written with love – – – Patti XOXO