😷Norovirus, piles of laundry, and a lesson for tired moms

HEY Reader,

This past week was ROUGH.

Both kids were recovering from norovirus, and then it hit me. It knocked me out for a couple of days, and heavens, I'm still recovering.

Thankfully, I have an incredibly supportive husband who let me rest all day Sunday and worked from home Monday so I could sleep in and nap. What a blessing.

And even though I'm still on the mend, I can see the purpose in it.

I know that sounds a little silly. Everyone gets sick; it's just part of life. But I had been begging for rest, from both God and my husband. Sadly, it took a stomach bug to get it, but rest came.

Psalm 23:2 says,

"He makes me lie down in green pastures."

This week the verb jumped out at me: He makes me lie down. Sometimes the Shepherd doesn't wait for us to choose rest. He sets the conditions Himself. Mine just came with a bed instead of a pasture.

After a full day away from my kids (even though I was only in the other room), I missed them terribly. When I finally came out, they rushed me and haven't left my side since. It's been so sweet and so fulfilling.

I'm behind on everything: laundry, chores, crumbs, the toy organization, the podcast, social posts. All of it. Being sick made me shut my brain off entirely and just exist as a human.

Coming back from that, I expected to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and rushed. Instead? I feel slowed down. Calm. Rested. Maybe for the first time in my life.

Norovirus was awful, but it forced a complete nervous system reset, and I couldn't be more thankful.

So yes, this email is late. My podcast episodes aren't recorded (and we leave for a cruise in a couple of days!), and no social posts are ready.

But.

My kids and I are taking life very slowly and soaking up every moment of these little-kid days.

I hope you learn this lesson without catching norovirus and start living the simple, slower life we all deserve.

NEW PODCAST EPISODE

Ever want to teach your kids about God but freeze the second you sit down to plan it? Want a simple lesson plan and family prayers you can use starting this week, no Bible degree required?

This episode introduces God Homeschool, a lesson plan and prayer program built to help you teach your preschooler or kindergartener about God without turning it into another thing on your to-do list.

LESSON PLAN

This month's lesson plan is all about faith over fear. It won't make every scary thing disappear for your little one, but it teaches them that God covers them and carries them through it. Simple weekly activities help you Teach It, Act It Out, and Pray It together.

Here is the Faith Over Fear lesson plan for episodes 91-94!