Doing good

The other day, after swim lessons, Brayden kept complaining his tummy hurt.  He had already gone to the bathroom and I figured, he was just kinda whining.  So...half way home he screams, "big ones!".  Fortunately, for me, our home was not far off.  I told him to hold it, floored it home and hopped him out of the car to the front door, where dad met him (let's just insert a small praise the Lord, that dad came home this day).  I had just answered a call and was going about my business unloading the other kids and gear, when I see Shawn peer out of the bathroom with an irriated look.  I go to check...
There is poop on the floor, on his underwear, his pajama bottoms, the rug and somehow (I do not want to imagine how) the shower curtain.  Ummm..."gotta go" I tell my friend and then do what I can to pitch in. 
Shawn, cleverly started carrying things to be hosed off outside.  Amanda is running around yelling, "Uh oh" and Gavin looks at me and says, "Uh oh is right?  Huh, mom?"  I took over hosing duty and as I sprayed various diarehea saturated items I couldn't help but just shake my head at what exactly I was doing...and the fact that it really didn't phase me too much.  But I was thinking...I would much rather be doing just about anything else. 
Today I heard a lovely sermon reminding us to, "not grow weary in doing good".  It was given by a friend of mine who is a missionary in India.  And while I tend to think that the persecution and frustration they deal with is nothing compared to my little world...it was still a wonderful reminder to keep on keeping on.  Because frankly I find it easy to grow weary being a mom. 
-Showing  patience when asked the same question 20 times
-Being gentle when my daughter is playing WWF smackdown during diaper changes
-Loving our children during a meltdown over who got the pink cup
-Remaining calm when all three are screaming in the car over something they want, don't want, or can't decide if they want and knowing we are trapped with it for another 20 minutes
-Responding in kind when your child tells you "I don't like this" before they even tried it
-Letting the person behind you who only has 10 items go ahead of you in the grocery line, even though your kids are at their end, because you have a huge cart and three kids who are totally making it take forever and it's just the right thing to do...letting them out and not have to be tortured along with you
-Being thankful for the little hands and little feet that throw food and tromp mud through the house
-Choosing joy when the poop is sprayed across the bathroom
Doing good.  It pays off in so many ways...not only building our own character, but the character of our children and those around us.  It sounds simple...I believe most of us think 'of course we want to do the right thing'.  But sometimes, yelling seems easier and taking the pink cups away from everyone and throwing them in the trash runs through our minds. 
It isn't exactly persecution, but it is what God has given us for the moment and we are to do good.  What a great reminder!
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.    Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers"  Galations 6:9-10