Sometimes I forget. . .

I feel like crying, tonight.

Not just because it was a chaotic evening. Thursdays always are. Spelling words and memory verses to review. Reading to finish up and papers to sign. And tonight? Two kids who have a lot of homework from missing a week of school, each.

The Coach was gone, too. Lucky guy.

Then at the spur of the moment, my two eldest were invited to go to Branson with grand parents and cousins for the weekend. Tomorrow. So much fun for them! But there was packing and thinking through things to do.

Now I'm short a baby sitter for tomorrow night.

But none of that is really what got to me. Well, it GOT to me, but something else did, too.

You see? Son #4 has been home from school for over a week. Running a fever every day (until yesterday). I asked for some work to be sent home, knowing he's missed a lot. But with 5 seasons of the A Team to watch, he hadn't had much time to work on it. (ha!)

And tonight? I think it hit him that if he makes it back to school, tomorrow, Lord willing. . . he's going to be taking unfinished work with him. To face more unfinished work at school.

He lost it, bless his heart. He's a booger of a kid. Seriously. ALL boy! But he works HARD. And smiles constantly. And wears me out. But that's neither here nor there. The kid was overwhelmed.

I don't blame him. I can relate.

Right as I was about to start singing, "Lord have mercy on me" at the top of my lungs. . . with Little Man getting out of bed over and over and trying to help Daughter #6 with homework she should have done YESTERDAY (when the weather was SO nice) and Son #3 being the goofball King and Daughter #2 reminding me she was out of shampoo and . . .you get the idea.

The phone rang.

I completely missed that it was answered and given to Son #4. But I noticed him hang it up, so I asked him, "Hey Bud - who was that?"

"Mrs. . . (his teacher)."

"Really? What's up?"

A grin began to spread over his darling little face. "She didn't want me to get stressed out about the homework."

Ahhhhhh.

So you see? Sometimes I forget that the sovereign God KNOWS what is going on in our very loud, very chaotic and very dramatic household.

I can't see it. . . but He's there. . .prompting a sweet, loving, Godly teacher to call a frustrated little boy. He calmed right down. Finished most of it up and crawled into bed.

I know it's not a "big" thing. There was plenty of other drama going on. But I paused long enough to remember that I am loved. Son #4 is loved. By a Heavenly Father who knows all things.

And by a teacher who is sensitive to the Holy Spirit in obeying His promptings to DO something.

I'm humbled by that.

Because sometimes when the Holy Spirit prompts me, I'm not listening. Or I don't stop what I'm doing and DO it. Even a little something. Those little somethings mean a lot.

Everyone is finally settled down and asleep. Son #1 and Daughter #2 are packed. The Coach is home. The grocery run is done and all put away. The dishwasher and laundry are humming. The homework is as finished as it's going to get and tucked away in all of the backpacks for tomorrow. The lunch bags are out and ready to go. The clothes for morning are lying on the ends of beds.

And me? I'm just so grateful for the reminder that Jesus loves me.