God is so good.   Because we have cooties in the house, I had to keep the boys home from church this morning.  I always try to “go to church” on the internet….usually watching the live feed from Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale or CC Melbourne…when I am home with sick kids.  This morning, I prayed that God would lead me to the right service…and he certainly did.

I started by clicking on CC Ft.L, but the audio wasn’t working properly.  Closed it…clicked on CC Melbourne.  Weird bass sounds and I came in after the start of the message, so I clicked off.  Now where?  Hmmm….Pastor Jon Courson….

That’s what I was supposed to hear.

If you don’t know him, Jon Courson is a long-time Calvary pastor who has a church in Oregon.   He is a gifted teacher, who is known for his great laugh.  He is also known because he has experienced deep suffering in his life.  Pastor Jon’s first wife was killed in a car accident.  In 1994, his sixteen year old daughter was also killed in a car accident.  This man has experienced deep hurt and suffering…and come out on the other side.  His experience with suffering puts great weight behind all of his teachings on suffering and trials….teaching that are some of the most comforting messages that I have ever heard on the subject.   Isn’t that how God works?….He uses trials and suffering in our lives so that we can “comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)…

Anywho…

Today’s teaching was on “wait training” and was from Psalm 27:14.  In the message, he talked about how we are to wait on the Lord and the purpose of waiting on the Lord.  Basically, he taught that the words “wait on” are active…like a waiter in a really fancy restaurant who constantly serves and attends to someone.  So…our waiting is not to be spent bummed out and wringing our hands…but actively serving the Lord and ministering to Him.  Living a life of ministry and service.   I so needed to be reminded of this.  Sometimes I get so discouraged…waiting on the Lord to make Noah’s autism better.   He is improving…but I want my boy to talk to me!  It was a great reminder to press on in ministry…not just to Noah, but to others that God puts in my path. 

The other part of the message was about the purpose of waiting.  Pastor Jon is such a quote machine…here’s another one of his classics…

“The heart of every issue is an issue of the heart….”

Every trial and tribulation in my life is about getting to my heart.  God knows I need heart surgery.  That is how he does it.

And here’s another great quote…

“There is no testimony without the TEST”….

Yep. 

I get so weary of these “preachers” out there today who teach…some of them subtly and some of them boldly… that Christians are somehow immune to suffering and trials. 

That’s a bunch of chickensnot.

My Bible talks all about trials and tribulations in the life of a Christian.  It’s normal.  It even says that we “glory” in them.  (Romans 5:3) This ridiculous teaching that says that if you give enough money or have enough faith, you’ll enter this magical land of no trials…and even drive a fancy car!… is a big pile of hooey.   Just sayin.

Anyway…I’m thankful this morning for the instruction from the Lord’s Word…His goodness to teach me and correct my heart.   It was good to be reminded that God is using the waiting time in my life right now for my own good.  To be reminded to press on in His service…knowing that, in the process, He will strengthen my heart.  

Well…Isaac is officially sick.  He’s been flirting with it for the past few days, but that juicy cough is worse and we have added snot, boogers and sneezing to the mix.  Nice. 

When I was growing up, life was pretty good at my house when I was sick.   I got to hang out on the couch with my pillows and blanket, watch tv all day and eat crackers and chicken noodle soup and drink Sprite.  I got babied, coddled and fed.  Life was good. 

When I had kids, I figured that this scenario would repeat itself at my house.  My little dumplings would lay quietly on the couch…watching t.v….eating crackers and soup…wanting to snuggle and just do nothing….

Apparently, my kids did not get the “how a sick kid is supposed to act” memo.

My morning has consisted of:

Breaking up numerous fights (yes, we’ve got autism in the house, but that “pick on your little brother just for fun” chip is fully intact and functional)….

Chasing an overly hyper redhead around the house because viruses don’t make him weaker and lethargic…they make him crazy!….

Dealing with the constant whining that comes from not feeling good coupled with the fact that the whiner is a three year old who is at that lovely stage where whining is the “training topic du jour” at this stage of our child-rearing lives….just when I thought that the whining couldn’t get any worse….

Hoping and praying that Isaac will take a nap today…Usually this is not a problem…but when Isaac is sick, his sleep schedule goes wacky and interrupted sleep at night leads to an overtired child which leads to…does this make any sense to you?!…no nap!  I don’t get it…shouldn’t a really tired and sick child sleep more…not less?   I’ve never figured that one out….

Nope.  Didn’t get the memo.

Isaac has this nasty, juicy cough that kept him out of church last night.  It has also wakened him (and me) several times during the past few nights.  This thing is a weirdo bug…no fever or runny nose….just the cough.  If I didn’t know other kids with it, I would be convinced that his asthma was acting up.  But…other kids in his class at preschool have had it, so I’m assuming it’s a shared cootie.  I’m hoping and praying that it’s better by Sunday…I really don’t want to miss church.

I spent the morning with Isaac at Disney.  The main goal was to take him to see a “Playhouse Disney” concert.  Along the way, we stopped in to watch one of Doug’s shows.  Isaac had a blast at both of them.  He danced like crazy to “Daddy’s songs”….how many three year olds know the lyrics to Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park?” 

Doug was able to join us in between his sets for part of the “Choo-choo soul” concert.  I must admit that we were both wiggling, singing and hootin and hollerin about as much as any kid there.  For those of you who don’t know “Choo-choo Soul”, it’s on the Disney channel.  Really fun, funky music for kids (and their parents).   

On the way out, Isaac and I caught the tail end of the High School Musical show.  Way cute.  He and I did a little jig out there too.

A busy morning at Disney gave way to one sleepy little redhead.   I feel a nice, long Isaac nap coming my way….

This morning, Isaac started preaching. 

He pointed to my Bible and stated….lisp intact…

“That’sth the Bible.  Da Bible tellsth usth to obey.  That’sth how you get a happy heart. ”  He continued:

“Jesusth lovesth Isaac…Jesusth lovesth Noah, Jesusth lovesth Daddy, Jesusth lovesth Mommy, Jesusth lovesth bacon, Jesusth lovesth vitaminsth.”

You go, boy.