In general, we, as a people, believe in entitlement. I can understand how a man who works hard making money for his family would want to come and feel like he deserves to relax. I can understand how a mom who works really hard all day long with her little children, feeding them, washing their laundry, keeping the house relatively clean, giving hugs and endless 'owie' kisses feels like she deserves to veg in the evenings.
Last night I went to the hospital to spend a little time with Steve. My sister so very kindly kept the kids. I came home about 9, and she and I ended up talking for over an hour. I had wanted to walk on the treadmill yesterday (my goal is 16 minutes 3x a week). When she left, I hopped on and walked my mileage. Our latest Netflix was North and South, I had watched about 45 minutes of it on Tuesday of this week. I wanted to send it back and since the house was quiet, it seemed like a good time to finish off the last 45 minutes. By the time I had gone upstairs and showered, it was 12:30 before I crawled into bed. At 6:15 this morning, I was awakened by a child yelling for Daddy. It was all downhill from there. The kids (especially the younger ones though they can't voice it) really miss their daddy.
That doesn't make it easy on a Mommy who needs 8 hours of sleep and who is going on less than 6 hours instead. I finally gave up trying to keep the kids in bed, and earlier than any other day this week, everyone was downstairs. Ethan and Shannen have yet to learn to play together well. Screams from the living room were a commonplace thing. I sat in the back room and while I was completely under control, that didn't stop me from fuming in my head because I
deserved some quiet. After all, I having had the kids by myself for over a day, and with anyone with four children would tell you it is doable, but not always easy. While I sat in the back room and inwardly fumed, I asked myself why I was so upset. "Because I
deserve more sleep, because my kids are fussy, because I 'need' some quiet!"
In the moment that I stopped the Lord spoke to me about two things. First off, the ONLY thing that I, or anyone else for that matter, deserve is death in hell. Screaming children, lack of sleep (which is totally my own fault!), squabbling older siblings is SO much better than death in hell. It made me stop and thank the Lord for my screaming children, lack of sleep, and no longer squabbling older kids. I am a rich woman. The other thing that the Lord convicted me of was Philippians "Do all things without murmurings and disputings." But I Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
So today, with me, give thanks for those things in our lives that we would otherwise find irritating at best. They sure beat death in hell.