I sit on my beanbag at the end of the day, my head in my hands, thinking back on this exhausting day. Why am I so tired? I don’t remember being this tired when my boys were little…of course I was in my early 20’s. Maybe that has something to do with it!

Come to think of it, maybe there is a good reason for my exhaustion. I will give you a blow by blow account of my lunch making conversation…recording only my words, and omitting everyone else’s. It went just like this, at about the rate you are currently reading. Fortunately, the other two girls were out working, or you might have needed to read this double time. By the way, Destiny is 22 months old, dangerously close to the terrible twos, and even though she is a very sweet and loving baby, she is dreadfully busy these days.

“Destiny, do you want to play with the play dough? Ok, you can play in the living room while Mommy makes lunch. Are you hungry? OK, then you need to play with the play dough in the living room No, you can’t get up right now. Hannah, where are you? Don’t hit the kitty; Jesus wants you to be nice to the kitty. Hannah, time for your nap. Yes, you can sleep in the hammock if you will go to sleep and not play. Yes, I can sing to you. Jesus loves me… Destiny, don’t eat the play dough. This I know… Destiny, keep the play dough on the table, don’t throw it on the floor or it will get dirty. For the bible… Hannah, close your eyes and go to sleep. Tells me so… Destiny, don’t eat the play dough. Little ones to him belong…Do you need to go potty? They are weak but He is strong…Destiny, don’t throw the play dough at the kitten, keep it on the table. Yes, Jesus loves me… Destiny don’t go potty on the play dough! Here, let me clean you up. Yes, Jesus loves me… Don’t wake up your sister sweety, she needs her sleep. Maybe you should come in the kitchen with Mommy. Yes, Jesus loves me…(Keep in mind that my stove, table, food…everything is within reach, at floor level.) The bible tells me so. Destiny, you can help Mommy peel the garlic. Don’t touch the fire, it is hot. No, no, don’t eat the garlic. Destiny, don’t climb on Mommy’s back, you will hurt Mommy. Please don’t touch the knife, it will cut you. Destiny, don’t dump water in Mommy’s food, can you peel the garlic for me? Oh dear, the bread dough did not need that much water. Why don’t you just pour water into the cup, that would be better. Are you all wet? Well, come over here by the fire then. Don’t take the sticks out of the fire baby. Would you like your coat? Hannah, did you wake up already, you did not even sleep for 5 minutes! Can you go back to sleep? No? Well, would you like to help Mommy? Can you help Destiny peel garlic? Destiny, don’t touch, it is HOT. Don’t eat the garlic Hannah, just peel it. Destiny and Hannah, don’t eat the food until it is time to eat. Girls…don’t you want to play with play dough?”

This is a sample of my intellectually stimulating conversations that go on and on all day, and when the other two girls join the fray, it is even more exciting!

Then too, there is Jason. He has gotten to be a problem lately. You see, he keeps making huge messes, and then the rest of us have to go and clean up after him. We just barely start cleaning up one mess, and with a yell of pure glee from him, he makes another one! Sometimes I despair of ever being able to get it all cleaned up. He is 22 years old, you would think that he could clean up after himself. But no, he is too busy making messes! Of course, his messes are making us all feel safer and more secure, not to mention the fact that we can now see the sky in places and it is so much brighter and prettier. Our gardens like it a whole lot better also.

Why all the messes? Well, it stems from the fact that we had to abandon our first house here due to falling trees, vines and limbs. He talked to our village friends and they all say that a lot of the trees must be cut down or they will fall down. We have seen and heard many such trees fall down all around us…and on our house… so we know that they are not speaking hastily, but instead are being painfully honest with us. (The trees grow quickly here, and they fall down quickly too!) It is a bit of a challenge to cut down trees when we already have fruit trees and houses and gardens planted that we really do not want to have ruined. So, he thinks and plans and then away goes another tree…for the girls and me to clean up. So between cleaning up his messes, teaching school, cooking, and cleaning, well…I just get tired!

Sometimes it is hard to remember that all this is missionary work. We like to think that mission work is giving bible studies, healing the sick or some other incredibly satisfying activity. But that is not what God has given me to do. He gave me little girls to teach. This means that I need to think of giving never ending directions, hugs and kisses, as well as making a bible story come alive for a 4 year old as being my God given mission work. (Not to mention cleaning up after Jason!) Life is after all, made up of the little things. He that is faithful in that which is least, will be faithful also in much. In my worship this morning, I read this quote. “Those who deny self to do others good, and who devote themselves and all they have to Christ’s service, will realize the happiness which the selfish man seeks for in vain.” This is oh so true! We may not feel all that happiness while trying to be patient during lunch preparation, but faithfulness now will bring incredible joy later on.