Band Aids

With a 4 yr old in the house, band-aids are very important and are everywhere. Every bump bruise, cut and scrape is magically healed once a band-aid is applied. Ice doesn't matter, kisses from mommy don't matter, healing balm doesn't matter, the shrieking wail of an ouchie can be healed instantly only with band-aids.

After 4 kids I have learned the utter importance of these tiny, sticky things. Sure, these things become slightly annoying when they are peeled off 5 minutes after the injury and stuck to the floor... or the wall..... or the chair. But they served their purpose and they served it well- to end the tears and sadness.

Once when my son was little, getting ready to turn 4, my dad called to ask some ideas for a birthday present. I rattled off the standard things my boy liked: cars, dinosaurs, Buzz Lightyear, and ended the list with Band-aids.

The birthday party came and when my son opened his gift from his grandpa- guess what was inside? Yup, several boxes of band-aids! My little guy was thrilled, and had their been a prize for strangest gift ever, my dad would have won that prize.

This memory gets brought up quiet a bit in our home, since band-aids are a normal part of our daily routine still. We all laugh, and it's a good memory.

I also can't help but to relate this to my daily walk now. As an adult, I'm not as daring as a child. I'm not out getting scrapes, bumps or bruises physically (If I can help it!) My soul and spirit however get wounded everyday. A harsh word. Something doesn't happen as I wish it had. Mommy guilt. One of my children making bad choices and disappointing me. An unexpected tragedy. Yes, bumps and bruises, cuts and scrapes happen every single day. Some are much worse than others. Some feel like they slice right through to the heart. Others hurt for a moment, but will be forgotten as quickly as they came.

All of them need something more than a little band-aid. I don't know about you, but I have lots of places to draw out my band-aids for my wounded heart. Starbucks, shopping, a little glass of wine, a hot bath, friends, to name a few. None of these things are bad in themselves. The danger lies in my relying on them to heal my wound. I need to look beyond what makes me feel better in the moment, and trust God and His word to seep in and heal. God's healing is powerful and forever. He's calling out to me, reaching out to me, desiring to do more than place a sticky thing to cover my wound. The first step in the healing power of God? Rejoicing in all circumstances.

1 Peter 4:12-13 says "Don't be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering.. but rejoice."

If we are able to rejoice in all our wounds, we are fully trusting God to heal them. Philippians 4:7 promises " a peace that passes all understanding."

God calls us to his healing power. The Bible is full of God's amazing healing. As I sit hurting today, sad over a death that I had no power over, I am leaning on the healing power of my God- not a silly band-aid.

Lord my God I called to you for help and you healed me. Psalm 30:2

Heal me O Lord and I will be healed, save me and I will be saved, for You are the One I praise- Jeremiah 17:14

New addition

It's now been 4 months since my father's suicide. I wish I could say that life has returned to normal, but instead, his choice of death has marred our daily lives.

We had hoped to cushion our children from the blow, with daily prayer, speaking to them about grandpa Dale, sharing memories, we really thought that they could go on not being scarred. Boy were we wrong! Weekly calls from the principal, dealing with late, and unfinished work everyday, and acting out in ways we didn't think were possible, has littered our lives since school began. Granted, this is all coming from our 12 yr old, and that's a tough age as is, but he was the closest to grandpa Dale- and he is struggling to make sense of it all just like the rest of us left behind.

As a mom, it breaks my heart to see my children hurting, and I toss back and forth between being angry and frustrated that my father didn't think about the damage he left behind for his grandchildren to deal with. Despite our best parenting efforts, there will be scars left behind that will help shape their future lives ahead.

Last week, we decided that perhaps we needed an addition to our family, and I thought it would be great if we could save a life at the same time. We headed out to the local animal control where we picked our new found friend.

We needed to return home and wait for a few more days since she wasn't quite old enough to come home. The days seemed like years as we all anticipated bringing her home!

Finally the day came for us to pick her up. Armed with a bubblegum pink carrier, a purple fuzzy blanket and feathery toy propped inside, we walked through the doors to bring our baby kitty home.

She went nameless for a few days, and after much discussion, we came to an agreement- Simkah a Hebrew word meaning "God's gladness or God's joy". Already she has helped restore some joy into my heart which has been far too often filled with tears and sorrow, she has helped restore laughter and playing to our home ... as one friend called her, "our healing kitty".

The day that I was behind the wheel bring her home I was overcome with a clash of emotion: I had just saved this tiny little thing from certain death, I saved a life! That was the joy part. The other side of that was extreme sadness and guilt that I could save this life but I couldn't save my father. I realized in that moment with tears streaming down my face that I need to live everyday as if it is my last. I've been set back the last few months, having a hard time coping or dealing with everything around me, but God promises restoration to me and to my children. He is big enough to do it in one breath, yet he loves to use people and things around us to help touch our lives. Our new little addition is a gentle reminder that God wants to restore and loves to rebuild.... and that He is indeed, still in control.

Jeremiah 33:6 "Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity, and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will cleanse them of all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on Earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it."