Skip to main content

Good for Evil

This picture sums up our past week. When Silas Smith gets sick, whether simple sniffles, a tummy ache, or full blown pink eye, he is not himself. While most people are somewhat different when tired or hurting, there are definitely some that handle it better than others.
Our country has certainly experienced its share of hurt this past week too. As I've been trucking along through the monotony of First and Second Kings in the Bible, I (forever literature teacher) saw the striking applicable connections between then and now.
The kings of the old testament often times continued on with the "evil that their fathers had done" for many generations. When we are brought up around prejudice, self-righteousness, entitlement and the like, no matter how outright or subtle, it becomes ingrained in our psyche. It isn't until we consciously choose to examine our upbringing and surroundings and seek to know a world outside our own that we can decipher truth from lies. There is so much evil in the world, and when we are taught that something different is something evil, we begin to show our own evil instincts.

While my boys can be precious and sweet, I know that there is natural ugliness that must be weeded out, and it always shows it's ugly face when planted with tiredness or illness. If you think anyone has perfect kids, wait until they are all tired and you'll decide otherwise. Levi seems to have a higher tolerance for doctors visits (for obvious reasons), than his older brother. When I took the boys to the doc on Monday to get a pink eye verification, Silas not only tried to bite the doctor when she was listening to his heart, but he proceeded to try and spit on her when she tried to look at his ears. I was mortified at his outlandish behavior and even more frustrated at his stubborn inability to apologize afterwards. It wasn't until two days later that he heard a children's song about Romans 12:21, which says, "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good," that he said, "Mommy I was evil the last two days." While that wasn't my first choice of words, I didn't fully disagree with him either.

This world may have evil in it, but that doesn't mean we should repay evil with evil. We must choose to love even when we aren't receiving it in return because that's the only way to show what Jesus really looked like on Earth, and as a frustrated mommy this week, I need this reminder more than anyone.

Thank goodness Levi didn't lose weight at his appointment yesterday. He only gained 5 ounces, but I'll take it. We are continuing to try to get him to eat more by mouth and less at night, and now we have a new hand splint that I'll attempt to strap on his right arm during bedtime.

It's been my experience that after a tough week, there's usually some rays of sunshine on the horizon! Here's to those sweet moments in the future!

May God bless you in whatever kind of hurt you may be in this week.

~Goodness Buster

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Break from the blog

As March begins, often we hope for a great thaw in our land. Now Georgia certainly doesn't have any icy soil that needs warming, but our yearning for more light and fresh newness to keep us from numbing appears universal. I have written on this blog for ten years now. From singleness to newlywed to mama of four sickly, but now active, growing boys. It's been a place for me to purge, process, and pray through some of life's biggest changes and challenges. It's also helped me keep distant family and friends informed, but I've felt for some time it's come to an appropriate place for pause. I know that I have many more mountains and valleys to travel if the Lord wills it, and many more personal lessons that I'd love to share and reread to my kiddos one day (and if anyone wants to organize and compile this little landscape into a memoir, please be my guest), but I do not ever want to assume a posture of numbness as it relates to our regular routines. I re...

A little color

School has officially started for me, and my teachable teenagers will be booming into my room in two days! I can't wait to shape those minds of our future! :)   However, my summer projects are a great reminder of the joyful color and peace I had for two months. :) I found this great idea on Pinterest and thought it would add a great accent color to any room in my home! I still have to put it all together, but here's what the finished product will look like with a little more subtle turquoise: I have it all painted and ready to be assembled!  More pics upon completion! (may be quite a while though now that school is in session... hope you weren't holding your breath.) ~CC