Thankful Thursday Muddy Footprints Edition

The day started out like most others. I had set my alarm with intentions of waking up an hour before the family to have some Bible study time. I pushed the snooze button too many times and ended up with just a short fifteen or so minutes of Bible study and prayer time before the baby cried and the busy day began. I felt okay about that. Any time with God is better than no time with God, right?

Fast forward to about 5:30. The busiest time of the day for a stay-at-home mom. Well, probably for any mom for that matter. There is dinner to be made, laundry to be folded, dishes to wash, kids to be bathed, lunches to be made for the next day. So much to do before we can settle down for the evening. This particular day was even worse because I had spent the better part of the afternoon researching homeschool curriculum for next year. So I hadn't given the house my full attention. Toys were strewn about, I hadn't made dinner yet and there was laundry to be folded. The kids were playing outside with the neighbors.

I was feeling overwhelmed and trying to decide where to start. I turned around as the kids (my two and the neighbors two) came running through the house wearing shoes that were covered in mud! As I fussed at them to get back outside, one had made it all the way up the stairs and another had gone into the school room. There were muddy little footprints everywhere I looked. And I was mad.

I looked around at the huge mess before me and with total annoyance filled a bowl with hot soapy water, got a rag and got to work scrubbing the carpet on my hands and knees. Oh, I was mad. I was irritated. I was annoyed. I was inconvenienced. I was tired. And there it was from the back of my mind (and I'm thinking from the 15 minutes I spent with God that morning.) I was thankful? What? It caught me by surprise too. But, it was true. As I scrubbed the steps my mind became filled with thanks and praise. Thank you Lord that you have blessed us with a home that we love. Thank you that the kids have found best friends in the house next door. Thank you that I am physically able to clean all fifteen of these messy stairs. (Yeah, I counted them. I was that mad). I've heard too many stories lately of young mommas who are sick or struggling and are not able to take care of their families like I am. Thank you God for that reminder. Thank you Lord that I get to be at home to clean up after these messy little people. Thank you for my creative children who had a blast making mud pies and for my hard working husband. Thank you for loving me when I am pouting and complaining and for changing my heart to be more like yours. Thank you for giving me Your best each day even when I didn't give you mine. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for hearing my prayers.

Thank you God for muddy footprints!