Things at my house have been a bit crazy lately...

and shockingly it has nothing to do with my children:)

I know I have been gone for awhile, and I also know that you couldn't care less, except for the fact that you don't get cute pictures when I don't blog. (For the record, I am referring to my parents/grandparents/aunts here, I know the rest of you probably have tons of cute at your house.)

I have to plead insanity though, because that is what it has been like around here for the past 2 weeks. I hate to bore you with the details, but the rundown goes something like this:

• Two weeks ago, I got new linoleum, which is awesome, but I couldn't get in my kitchen for a couple days. So, no stove, washer, or dryer, and I had to go into the living room to get milk, which is just weird.
• Last week, I got new carpet, which is even more awesome, except apparently when you unplug my TV and router, my phone no longer works (that lasted 4 days). On top of that, I lost Tim's cell phone, which we later discovered was being held hostage by some jerk who made up some story about how he got it. Tim ended up having to bribe, I mean, reward him to get the phone back. Oh, and I forgot to mention that when the carpet guys pulled up my carpet, there were several fist sized holes near the back door. Yay.
• Then my ceiling started leaking for no apparent reason, so I had to go without water on and off for three days. At some point in all this, I just looked up and said, "Really, Lord? Really?" I now have a two foot hole in my ceiling. Anybody know any good drywallers?

Repeatedly, I have had to try to put all of this into perspective. I mean, I have all new flooring. My family is healthy and doing well. My sweet husband didn't even yell when I lost his phone. I haven't just lived through an earthquake. My husband did not just have a stroke. I am not fighting to keep my children. (Those last two examples are things my friends are going through right now.)

So whenever I have wanted to moan about my misfortune, I have tried to turn that into a prayer of thankfulness and a prayer for those who are need of courage, healing, peace, and the multitude of other things this world needs.

I do this not because I am righteous, but because I am a selfish human being, who can only survive by giving my problems away. My problems are small, but He is mighty.

If it sounds like I have it all together, then I have misled you. Notice I used the word "tried" up there. I have spent much more time whining about my own problems than I have helping or praying for others. After a week like this, I am reminded how self-centered I am.

Good thing He is also full of grace, or I would be in a heap of trouble.