Called To Be a People of Praise

This is Ainsley just minutes after her birthday party ended. 

But, really, it captures us all at the moment. 

First there's my sweet John who is dealing with fever, vomiting, a strep culture, blood work, more fever, more vomiting. Then there's Tim up to his eyeballs with everything from Ernest Hemingway to The Bill of Rights. Meanwhile Miss Ainsley loves, loves, loves everything about school but scratches her blond little head that it involves getting up and dressed so darn early. Mom is just plain exhausted keeping the domestic ship afloat and John's fevers under 102.

Here in Alleluia we set apart the month of September to sort of regroup spiritually. We choose a theme and meditate on it. Families takes steps to cut back on media to better hear the Lord and to wrest a little order out of loose-knit summer schedules.

This year's theme is taken from a line in the Alleluia covenant:
  We are called to be a people of praise.

So today I praise God for my four children, for medical care, for Tylenol and Motrin and running water, for healing that will come eventually, for time spent alone with my brown-eyed John who is always sweet but manages to throw in an extra dose of cuddliness when he's sick.

And if anyone could lift up a brief prayer for a special intention, I'd be so grateful.