In Everything Give Thanks

2013 was a roller coaster of sorts. I feel like I had such great highs and I ended on a spiritual low. I just somehow drifted away from God. I knew the fault was in me. I knew God was constant and I was the one who closed my heart. I vowed to draw near him again in 2014.

2014, 1:00 am - My daughter Sabrina has 38.8 degree  fever. I looked at my husband and said "What a way to start the year huh?". Then the story of Job hit me. I'm complaining about a fever? I'm already losing faith and feeling sorry for our family because of that? The verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything, give thanks..."

I closed my eyes and prayed. I thanked God that I am home and able to take care of the fever. I thanked him that we had money to buy medicine. And I said "Lord I don't understand why Sabrina needs to get sick but I know that you are in control and that if you want to you can heal her at any time. But if you don't, then I trust that you have a plan for us and I thank you for that".

We went to bed and I set my alarm for 3:00 am so I could monitor her fever. It was gone! It's been over 24 hours now and we've remained fever free. I haven't ever heard of a 3-hour fever so I'm amazed by this recoveryy.

Learning How to Play from the Experts

A year or so ago, I gently told my husband that he should try to join Andrea as she plays. I understand that he often tries to play with Andrea by making Andrea do the things he chooses. There is actually a value to this. Fathers teach kids all about cooperative play, and about following other people's rules. On the other hand, there is also value and beauty in playing with your kid by not interrupting their rhythm and just slowly immersing ourselves into their imagined world. You see into their wishes, their fantasies, their fears. You see just how they see you, how they understand family. How they see good and evil. You see all of that in play.

My husband though, is such a manly-man. As much as his heart wants to play with our daughter as she plays with her doll houses, and ponies, and stuffed animals, he just doesn't know how. He told me as much himself so I gave him a tip. I said, the next time you see her playing you can ask her to show you or teach you how to play.

It was a passing conversation and I didn't think much about it. My husband is very intentional about playing with our daughter and he consciously spends time with her teaching her about the bible, and character and about Jesus. I didn't feel the need to nag about that one thing.

One day, I was in school and my husband got home earlier than usual. They ended up playing with her doll houses and ponies. My husband excitedly told me about it when I got home. I asked him how he managed and he said  "I told her: Hon, I really want to play with you but I don't know how to play with this. Can you show me?", not only did my husband get to show his eagerness in spending time with my daughter. My daughter got the experience of being the "expert" at something and showing my husband how to play with dolls (I swear, I wish I could have seen this).