Finding Rest

You know those days that start out ridiculously early…say 5:30am-ish, when one of your kiddos is wide awake because he just wants yogurt and a cartoon and another one is wide awake because he wet his sheets?  One of those mornings when you hear an explosion coming from your refrigerator at about 6am and inside, discover a can had frozen and exploded its contents all over?

One of those mornings when you are truly in awe at how much you have accomplished before the clock strikes 6:15am…stripping a bed, laundry, bathing one kiddo, cleaning out the fridge, feeding two children?

One of those mornings when you wake up and immediately start to calculate how much longer until you can go back to sleep.

Maybe it’s just me.

I think probably not though.  I think we all have days that start out tough.  Days that might get better, but also might not.  The days when we are non-stop busy doing all the things that need to be done, but weren’t even on the to-do list.  (Nope, I definitely did not plan to clean out the refrigerator yesterday.)

This stage of life, raising little ones is draining.  They need me for most things, and they want me close by for most of the other things.  My mothering does not stop when one leaves for school and one is napping.  It doesn’t stop when their daddy comes home from work.  It doesn’t stop when they sleep.  It’s a job without holidays, without sick days and without vacations.  I’m not complaining.  Being their mom is my calling right now, and sometimes fetching the 5:30am yogurt is part of that.  I feel honored that God chose me to mother these children.  So honored.  And I know how blessed I am to be able to stay home with them.

But I’m tired.  Every day, I’m tired.  A good night’s sleep is not really a reality for most parents with little ones, and is definitely not a reality for any parent of a child with type 1 diabetes.  I think I will always be tired, but I want to learn how to rest in the Lord.  He says He will give me rest, but I don’t think that means 8 straight hours of sleep.  No, I think it’s more of an offer of comfort, support and strength to get through the long days.  So that when 10am feels like 10pm and I’m at the end of my rope and stuff is exploding in my refrigerator, I don’t lose my cool.

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God…” –Psalm 62:5

Are you tired?  Grab some crayons or markers and print off a copy of this scripture coloring page (or maybe a few if your kiddos like to color too).  Turn on some worship music (my current favorites include All Sons and Daughters, & Rend Collective), and as you color in the tiny spaces of that paper, ask God to fill in all your tiny spaces with his grace and goodness.  Ask him to fill you with patience and energy, forgiveness and love.  See if you aren’t maybe feeling a little bit more rested when you’re done coloring.

Psalm 62 5 color sheet