A Week to Forget...or Not...

Have you ever had a vacation when you should be enjoying your time off but you find yourself sick instead?  Well, that is what my week was like.  I've had a few days off from the greenhouse and I was so excited about having some time off...some days to get busy and productive around the house...but God saw fit to have me rest and deal with sickness instead.

I try to tell myself that there's a purpose in everything...so when I have days like this I try to use them to read more and pray more and reflect more...and when that happens, days that seem to have a cloud hanging over them, turn into days of growth despite the apparent lack of sunshine.

I have had to give up my LBS Tuesdays for a season while I work at the greenhouse, so I was happy to have the opportunity to go to LBS once again this week and experience the fellowship of my sisters in Christ.  It's always such a blessing to get together, read and study God's Word and grow and share in one another's lives. God always blesses our time.  

When Wednesday rolled around, my health grew worse, the throat was more swollen and sore, the headache more pronounced and the sinus pressure intense.  I had to bow out of Kid's Club and I really didn't want to do that because we are preparing for our Club Parents' Night next week.  I may have missed out on Club, but we had a lovely quiet time at home...it was good to spend some quality time together as a family.

Thursday morning arrived and I was awake before the sun with pain in my jaw and head.  Thankfully, after the Advil kicked in I was able to nod off again for a little while.  My day was quiet until noon when I got the dreaded "phone call" from the principal telling me about an incident at school involving one of our kids.  This is the second time in the history of Rick's administrative years that he's had to make such a phone call home to me.

Instead of taking a nap, I ended up visiting the school.  I must be honest...since that time, I have been struggling with anger towards those involved.  We have been trying to teach our children that when they are in a conflict they should respond in a Biblical way.  We've tried to teach them to turn the other cheek, to be kind and forgiving, to be leaders that God would be proud of and that other kids could look up to.  What happened to our child this week was disturbing on a number of levels, but it leaves me once again leaning on Jesus to trust that all things happen for a reason.  

God has been using this week to teach me to pray....more.  To pray that our responses might be godly, and to pray for the children and parents involved. I pray that God would help us all to see that His way is the only way to live a life that is pleasing to Him. I pray that our kids will learn to respond in love and to pray for their enemies. Oh that God would use this to help us all grow.

A week I want to forget?  On the one hand I would answer with a resounding "yes"...but the unexpected events of this week were showered with blessings and I pray that the lessons of this week won't soon be forgotten.

Maybe this post should be titled, "A Week to Forgive"...