The Lord's Mercies Are New Every Morning...Great is His Faithfulness!

Years ago, when I did substitute teaching for two years as my main source of income, I used to be so thankful that God created night. Night meant an end to the day. Can you imagine a bad day going on and on and on and on???? On the really bad days, when the teacher hadn't left good plans, or there was a field trip scheduled (okay, really, who lets their sub take the class on a FIELD TRIP??!! But I digress.....) or the kids were just big and mean and disobedient...those were the days I was so thankful for night!

Today was such a day.

But the students were my own.

It began with a conflict between siblings which took about an hour to resolve. Followed almost immediately by another one involving another sibling, which also took time to resolve. Which meant school didn't start until very late, which meant a very short recess and almost no indoor play time, which meant certain children were very frustrated and did not have a good attitude toward their work, which led to more conflict and correction and (hopefully) character development. Then there was soccer practice and the mad dash to church while eating dinner in the van......

And after all that two children still had to finish schoolwork after coming home from church. Which meant that I had to stay "on" for them, when I really desperately felt like going to bed. And I had to have a long talk with another child to restore our relationship and insure that the sun did not go down on our wrath.

I could have ditched the work today. I've done that before. Some times it's just better to hang out together and bond. But this time I sensed that it was best to hold their feet to the fire with their schoolwork, and in the process hopefully help them truly understand what a late start means. Is the little thing they chose to argue over in the morning really worth it taking all day to finish their work?

Now the little darlings are all, blessedly, asleep. As I watch them sleeping, the arguments and frustration of the day melt away. Their cheeks are so soft and they appear so peaceful. The boy I took time to restore with before bed sank into my lap and let me hold him tightly as he poured out his heart. I breathed him in as he sat there, so close to my face, needing security and empathy and a listening ear. Soon he will be a young man and will not want to sit on my lap and let me hold him.

Fatigue....sorrow....frustration....thankfulness. So many emotions in one day.

Now the night has come. This day is over. And the Lord's mercies are new every morning!