April 9, 2008

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

This morning has been quite a challenge for me. After a week of sleepful nights with DearDaughter2, she has once again started waking at midnight both last night and the night before and has not been able to return to sleep until some time between 2am and 3am. I believe she was cold.

Although the weather around here has warmed up and it's beginning to feel like Spring time, it's still cold when there's no heat in the house. Yesterday, the temperature came down as low as 59 degrees (F). Today it's at least up to 63 degrees (F). We ran out of heating oil on Sunday evening and DearHubby doesn't want to get more heating oil since it should be warming into the 70's by the end of the week. The minimum purchase for oil is 100 gallons and the price of heating oil is pretty comparable to the price of gas, which has gone up to $3.03/gallon in our area, so we'd spend $300+ just for a few more weeks of heat. With all the money we're estimating we'd need to clean up our basement's mold problem, which we think cause DearHubby's pnuemonia, $300+ is money we just can't be throwing around. So, for a short time, we're persevering through this cold time, hoping it warms up soon.

I think I just didn't have our only space heater up warm enough, which is what kept baby up.

Well, as a result of another sleepless night, I've been a bit impatient with DearDaughter1, and have raised my voice at her several times today. How I wish I could trust in God more in these situations. I am often jumping the gun, thinking that DearDaughter1 will obey me faster if I just raised my voice. Unfortunately, that's not true at all and in reality, I am teaching DearDaughter1 that it is OK to raise her voice when she isn't getting her way. I've already seen it when she's playing with her little sister and DearDaughter2 doesn't do what DearDaughter1 says. Sometimes when the girls are nicely playing, I will suddenly hear "STOP BABY STOP!!!!" or "NOOOOOOOO!", and it is DearDaughter1 yelling her lungs out at DearDaughter2. This is the result of my unbelief...

Mr. Scriven, the author of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" was so right when he said "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

How often do I forfeit God's peace because I want to do things my way instead of taking this load to Jesus, my true friend who can truly help me?

So, what should I pray for? Everything because it IS a privilege as God's children to bring everything to God in prayer...and I will start with more patience and kindness towards DearDaughter1. I will pray for God to be with DearDaughter2 tonight to provide her with comfort and even warmth so that she is able to sleep well. If she doesn't sleep well and I have to be up with her again tonight, I will pray for God's strength to help me when I am lacking sleep. I will pray for DearDaughter1's heart to be protected from my unbelief so that it will remain trainable to learning how to respond in godliness. I will pray for what I teach my children every day in what I say and do...I will pray...