**I wrote this a few months ago and shared it with some other moms at the preschool. Had to share this!
- Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
We have attempted potty training with Lincoln, age 3, several times in the past few months. Yesterday (Tuesday), he decides he is ready! So hooray for us, right??? We've been tinkling like a champ for a few days now. Like most when they first start, #1 comes easily then there is some fear to let #2 'drop' and so they hold it in. We were on about day 4 of no poo. I was fully prepared for that.
Half way out to the car at school, Lincoln's normal high Mickey Mouse voice squeaked and immediately changed to this barky, croupy pitiful sound. I just attributed it to allergies from being outside today at recess. But by bedtime, he was burning up, and when I checked his temp it was 103.3. "Great!" I thought. "Just what I need, a sick kiddo." OF COURSE, my husband is out of town so it's just me with the 3 boys. With the high fever and croupy voice, I immediately tossed him into a hot steamy shower to loosen that yuckiness up. I got the baby into the high chair and settled him into his dinner and went to check on Lincoln in his shower. When I reached the bathroom, he had decided he had held it in underwear long enough and decided to go ahead and 'drop one' (well, actually 3) in the shower. There was a toy stuck in the shower drain keeping the water from draining and he was standing in about 4" of water. At his feet were spiderman, some foam letters, and something that only should be in a toilet or diaper! He's is just going on about his business clueless that he is showering in poo!!! Looking at the mess, what is a mom to do????? That's right, go fishing!!!! I removed my fever ridden shivering lil man from the now septic tank shower. The first thing I thought of was to grab a shovel from the sand box. I run to the backyard, throw a box of cereal out of the pantry for my oldest to use to occupy the baby still in high chair along the way. I grab the shovel and come back upstairs and get to scooping; answering a million questions along the way.
Phew--- Lincoln shower over and cozied up on couch. Oldest in bed. Next up: baby bath. Knox is just starting bathing in my tub last week because he outgrew the kitchen sink. This child almost never poos more than once a day. He had already done his business for the day so of course I didn't think to take any changing supplies with me to my room to undress him. I get his bath ready, lay him on the cold tile floor, open his diaper. Oh yay! He has a surprise for mommy too!!! And it is WAY more than normal!!! Not one of those you can get with the diaper if you know what I mean. Quick??? I have a half naked dirty baby, what to do? I need wipees! and several of them. Normally I would holler and ask my husband to bring me wipes. He's out of town. Bummer! Hmm, Mikey (oldest)?? Nope he's already in bed. Lincoln? I didn't have the heart to ask my sick lil guy to move. So I scurry to find an old wash cloth and some toilet paper, leaving half naked poopy baby on the bathroom floor.
In the 30 seconds or less that I was gone, Knox has rolled and scooted and left a smeared trail all the way across the cream tile and grout!!!! And he is now headed for my beige carpet in my bedroom.
"Lord???? Really????? This is what you have for me?? Sickness, poop, and more poop! Please help me!!!"
At that very moment, after Linc's mess and now this one, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I was on the verge of tears and just then my phone rang and it was one of my most precious friends and sisters in the Lord. We almost never talk on the phone, we just usually text b/c we both have kids and someone is usually screaming in the background. I answered the phone and my eyes welled with tears but then I bursted into the biggest belly laugh and proceeded to explain my fun evening to her.
So what is the point, you ask?? Besides a good laugh--- :) Well, there are a couple.
First, the Holy Spirit works in amazing ways! Had my friend not called at that exact moment, I would have had a major emotional melt down. Sick kids + poop+ hubby out of town= NO FUN!!! But when I my friend called, I was able to think about the humor of what was actually going on. He used her in the exact moment I needed it. Isn't our Lord so amazing that he uses His children to help each other?
Second---- Trials, suffering, children, etc- no matter how 'silly' they may seem are ultimately for our sanctification. Only God could interweave a situation so comical so that I can rejoice in His goodness for it!! Even elbow deep in 'poo' (whatever your poo may be) He wants to make himself available to you. He wants you to call on Him and engage Him. He wants to be a part of the joys and the 'poo'. He knows that 'poo happens' but wants you to call on Him when it does. James says to 'count it all as joy'. So while right now, whatever poo you may be in, it is only temporary and a small test of your faith.
