Sick Kids & "The Shack"

I just survived nearly two weeks of sick kids. Rayden started running a high fever two Sunday's ago, and a visit to the Dr. that Monday concluded that he had RSV. Not too much of a concern for him, but not the best news for little Casen. Rayden was hit really hard with it, developed ear infections and such, and then on Wed of that week Casen spiked a fever. We were lucky to not have ended up in the hospital! Needless to say, two weeks of rocking babies, coughing, puking, boogers, and all nighters, I am lucky to be alive!!!! During the middle of it, my mom was quick to ask "are you sure you want another one?". No, I'm not sure.........

Not to worry, I am alive to talk about it. One good thing is that I actually read an entire book!! Yes, I love to read, but it is not something I get to do much. I began reading The Shack and could not put the book down!!! I read and rocked babies, and didn't worry about anything else. I had decided the laundry, dishes, and house cleaning would just have to wait (yes, I am still paying for that one!!!!) I loved the simplicity of the ideas in this book. I found myself hoping and praying "God, let this be the truth" I mean, for those of you who have read the book, isn't the way God portrayed so much more appealing than our traditional teachings? You have to question, even though this book is fiction, is it not really the truth. Isn't love and kindness a huge part of it all, and having a loving "friendship" with God really what it's all about. I find that we, as a society, put so much emphasis on "religion" We so easily become consumed with church, and the beliefs we are supposed to believe, social networks, and all of the stuff (that which is both good and bad) butt seems to only interfere with our relationship with God. When we get so caught up in what is expected of us as Christians, don't we start to loose sight of exactly how simple it all really is? No, I'm not saying that we should forget church, bible studies, or any of that, I'm just saying, doesn't it make more since that God just wants us to walk with him, confide in him, and include him in every step that we take, and we should take off some of the pressure of performing to the standards of others? That we shouldn't feel guilty when our kids are sick and we can't make it to church or when, yes, I am going to just say it, we just decide to sleep in because our kids actually haven't stirred for once?

I also found a lot of comfort in this book regarding things that we don't understand. As hard as it is for us to comprehend, we are not supposed to have all the answers. Sometimes we (I) just have to have faith that God has a plan and the hard times are part of the bigger picture.

For anyone who hasn't read the book, go out and get it! I promise you won't want to put it down, and on the other hand, you won't want it to end. God is amazing and I believe that this book is NO substitution for the Bible, but it has been, and will continue to be a great advertisement for God. I can only imagine the lives of non-believers that have been changed by this book. How could you not want to be part of someone/something when they are painted as amazing as this man painted God to be????

On another note, for those of you who know Cody & Melissa, it is another BOY!!!!! Is this proof that the Potter boys are not capable of producing girls?? I am not sure where that leaves me in my decision to have more kids, does it make me hopeless that there is no hope of a girl, or does it mean that the odds have got to be in my favor????