Savoring a Cup of Tea: Psalm 100, part 2

(written Valentine's Day)

Within an hour after I wrote my first post on Psalm 100, my boys (9.5 month-old twins) took a turn for the worse. I called the doctor and was instructed to begin steam treatments to ease their breathing and to consider heading to the ER should things get worse (my husband was out of town, my 2 year old daughter asleep, and I couldn't fathom how I could get all of us downtown in the middle of the night...). We made it through the (long) night and headed to the doctor the next day. She confirmed that the boys have RSV, and that my daughter no doubt is recovering from it as is my husband. She also told me that that night and the next would be the worst. I was given instructions and a prescription for easing the boys' breathing and told the worst-case scenarios (hospitalization with oxygen). Last night, as I was sitting in the bathroom with the shower running full blast as hot as it would go, I watched one of my precious little boys in my arms rubbing his eyes, his hair beginning to curl from the humidity. I sat there and prayed that the Lord would ease us through this, protect my boys, keep us from going to the hospital, give me strength and continued health to keep taking care of them, etc. Then, I thought back to my post of the previous night on Psalm 100.... Memorized Scripture is such a comfort when you're too tired to pray or think clearly.

I thought of verse 3: "Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." These little boys of mine are the Lord's--his children, his creation. He knows their little bodies backwards and forwards. The Lord cares more for my boys even than I do! Furthermore, the Lord is God. I took great comfort in the psalmist's command to know that the Lord is God.

Then, I thought of verse 4: "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!" What can I be thankful for in this moment in the middle of the night with my boys sick? Well, actually, there are several things that stand out mighty clearly: 1. my mom was able to come for a few days to help me out (she lives 4 hours away). 2. we caught this pretty early and are now armed with an arsenal of interventions to keep the worst at bay. 3. it's Wednesday night and there are 2 more business days during which I can contact my own doctor or even go in to see her (aren't children getting sick over the weekend the worst?!). 4. Given my own history of bad respiratory ailments (bronchitis, pneumonia, "reduced lung capacity"), it's a tremendous cause for thanksgiving that I am not sick and am able to care for my children! 5. each of our two showers is on a separate water heater so we can continue steam treatments all night if necessary! 6. my daughter seems to be over the worst and is doing okay.

I anticipate being able to reflect on verse 5 in a few days! The Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.