Gratitude Friday...

Y'all.  Today we survived THE Great Toe Blister.

I mean.  It was touch and go there for... MINUTES.  

Rhys discovered this horrible affliction during his bath and THE WORLD ALMOST STOPPED.

Really, I don't know how he was functioning AT ALL.  What with him not even being aware of it's existence.

Thankfully, I keep an enormous stash of band aids for just such emergencies.

Although, he was unable to put ANY pressure on that big toe.  So you know, walking, at least to the bathroom was out.

Walking across the room to get Froggy, was totally doable.  Just the walking to the bathroom part.

Maybe it's the change in flooring.  

Regardless, the band aid DID IT'S JOB and like a miracle, he was healed!

Well.  Okay.  Clearly not healed.  Because the blister is still there.  I have learned, thanks to just such experiences with Aubrey Kate, a band aid can do wonders.

Hopefully, Rhys will awake fresh and ready to tackle the world tomorrow.

Likely at 6:05 am.

Bless him.  Little people and their boo boos.  Their perception is off.  A blister can hurt but compared to say, a broken bone or kidney stones, it's a negative three on the scale.  But Rhys doesn't know that. Because, so far, he's never had a broken bone or a kidney stone.

The broken bone is inevitable though.  

Several weeks ago, we bought a piece of furniture from one of the FB trading sites.  All of us went to pick it up.  The men loaded it in the car while the mommas and kids visited for just a few minutes.  She was an absolutely gorgeous woman.  Even with the tired eyes and well-worn PJ's of a momma with a newborn.  A month old.  While her other three littles played.  

Bless her.

The house was a mess.  Of course.  But it was more than just the mess of newborn chaos.  The baseboards were missing.  Kitchen cabinets were partially painted and other doors were missing entirely.  The yard had mostly dead weeds and empty flower beds.

But these two people make amazing furniture.  

I'd been a longtime fan of their work.  

Chris had talked with the dad just a bit as they loaded the car.  That gorgeous woman had been on bed rest for most of her pregnancy.  He'd quit his job to take care of her and three little people.  Things were tight.  

I was grateful we were able to buy one of their pieces.

After we left, the kids and I headed to the gym while Chris went to work for a while.  During my run, I was pleading with God, "Lord, I want to bless them somehow.  What can I do?"

And then I gave Him my list of ways I thought I could help.

So I said again, "Lord.  I need to bless them somehow."

Clear as day, He said, "I already have."  And then He showed me pictures of those four precious children.  That gorgeous momma who sacrificed her own life to save her newborn.  The amazing daddy who quit his job to take care of his family.

That's trust in his Provider I'm not sure I've got.  

My perception was off.  

I was looking at their surroundings instead of Who surrounded them.  I was seeing their belongings instead of to Whom they belonged.  

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

I was seeing appearances.  I was seeing the height of his stature.  His level of success based some dead weeds and missing based boards.

Humbled and ashamed.

The Father cares for us and blesses us more than we can ever know.  We see so many things as broken bones when really, they're just blisters.  Dead grass?  A blister.  Partially painted kitchen cabinets?  Another blister.

Four beautiful children?  A blessing.  A tired momma in ragged PJ's holding her newborn?  A miracle. A man caring for his family and trusting God to provide?  A man after God's own heart.

I am so grateful God was kind and caring and loving with me.  I needed to see that lesson.  I needed a humbling.  I needed a change in my perception.  

Grateful I didn't have a broken bone to be able to see a blister.  

And tomorrow morning, I'm gonna kiss my own miracle's little boo boo and be grateful he doesn't have a broken bone.

Yet.