Ice water.

It was midnight.  

I was laying in my bed 

but not really sleeping.  

The hassles of my life were jogging 

laps around my brain.  

Would our finances ever balance out? 

Are my teenagers coping with the pitfalls of such a complicated stage of life?

Am I giving all that I can?  

Will I ever catch up with the daily tasks 

that endlessly pile up 

before I can sweep or wash or 

fold and put away?  

Sleep didn't have a chance in the race and then an interruption.  

The squeak of my name 

which usually echoes through the night at least once from my clan.  

And I stumbled from my bed 

to solve the next crisis.  

It was Milo.  

He was thirsty.  

And he wanted ICE water.  

So I continued my half sleep walk 

to the kitchen 

and as I opened the freezer door the realization hit me like a glacier crashing into the sea...

I CAN get my baby ice water. 

Some mamas have to walk

 a mile to get their babies a drink.

  

Some mamas have to give in 

and provide dirty water that they know could make their children sick.

Some mamas have to weep 

at the begging voice of a thirsty little one for they have nothing to give. 

But I could get a clean glass, 

turn on a faucet, 

plunk in a few ice cubes 

and deliver to not even parched lips. 

And in light of this, 

what did I really have to worry about??  

It was a few weeks later that I got my copy of the book "One Thousand Gifts" 

for a study at church.

Sunday afternoon flew by as the words settled over me like a sweet salve to my soul.

You know when that happens?  

Everybody fend for yourselves...

Mama's lost in a book.

The book is written by a Mom of six.  Smothered in dirty socks and crusty dishes.  

And she begins to track all of the little things that make her life so sweet.

A journal of gratitude that shifts the focus from worry and stress 

to an acknowledgment and thankfulness to God for what is amazing, 

right before her eyes.

And so as I turned the last page, I opened my own journal and wrote the first entry:

1. Ice cold water in the middle of the night.