Not of this World

I have lived in the world of sleep-deprivation for four solid years, with few and infrequent reprieves. I have learned the language of this over-populated world quite well. For example, when asked the name of the new baby on Sunday, I stammered and fumbled over my words as I tried to remember-- until my kid sister chimed in: Bethany. "Yes, Bethany. This is my baby, Bethany," I reassured my audience that I did remember the name of my sweet progeny. But the woman recognized my citizenship: I was speaking the language of sleep-deprivation.

Not only am I well-versed in the language, I have become steeped in the unique culture of the world. There is never any single-mindedness. Rather, we are always functioning as multi-taskers. I would be the easiest person to cheat, because I grab groceries at the store and pay my bill at the register, never the wiser as to cost...not because I am sitting on enormous hoards of cash so that money has no meaning, but because I am too busy making sure my children don't knock food off the shelf while feeding them equal portions of Costco samples, at the same time, trying to remember all of our needed items so that I don't find myself at the Disneyland of grocery stores in the too-near future.

Multi-tasking is not limited to the grocery store, however. Rather, it has become an ingrained part of me. I cannot talk on the phone without snapping my fingers at children, quietly warning them of the doom to come once Mama gets off the phone. And I am always interrupting myself or my listener to tell my oldest, "Remember, we don't interrupt Mama on the phone." Ironic, I know. And if it's not children, then I find myself doing dishes, laundry, finances or making dinner, while listening and chatting. I have no doubt that I have lost many friends because of the multi-tasking function. "I sort of want to talk to Amy...but is it worth all the interruptions? Forget it. I'll talk to my other kid-less friends!" Yes, that is certainly the internal monologue of my former friends!

And if you don't pick up on the other signs of my dual citizenship (the language or the culture), you would certainly be able to recognize me by APPEARANCES. The garb of the sleep-deprived usually consists of cheap things like t-shirts, so that it can accommodate the messes. No, it's not that I am an overly messy person. But my clothes are always the object of my children's messes. If I don't have spit-up on the shoulder, I certainly have spaghetti sauce on my sleeve or dirt on my pants. Just yesterday, I had to have a talk with Haddie that Mama's clothes are not her personal napkin. More, if my appearance doesn't give me away, their appearances just might. Again, it isn't that I am not a hygienic person...I am, more than most, even. But sometimes, I forget to wipe the food off their faces, or the dirt off their hands. And more than once, I have looked over at one of my children, and noticed dried tear streaks on their cheeks-- an especially sad reminder of my negligence! So I do the age-old mom thing, lick my fingers and rub away the filth on their faces (replacing it with the invisible filth of my saliva).

And you know you're a true citizen of this world when like a good automaton, you incorrectly correct. When Ezra laid claim to Haddie's car yesterday, screaming at her in two-year-old fashion, "DAT MY CAR, HADDIE," I walked by, and said, "THAT'S my car, Haddie. NOT, 'DAT MY CAR.'" Ezra's audacious territorial claims combined with the blatant selfishness had no effect on my person. Rather, the grammar was what I corrected-- THE GRAMMAR! But I knew I needed to get some sleep yesterday when, after emptying the dryer of clean clothes, I slammed it shut and turned it to the energy-saving setting and pushed the 'On' button. Yes, I was attempting to save energy and cost on the invisible clothes I was drying. I never would have discovered it, either, had I not gone back to the garage some time later to put more clothes into the washer. Not only did I wash more clothes, but I also washed one of Betty's DISPOSABLE diapers!

The more seasoned you are in S-D World, the more your tolerance grows for noise. So when one child is yelling at another, while the other child is giving you impassioned pleas for attention, and the final child is crying out because of hunger pangs, you have the distinct ability to drown it all out, knowing the priority of your tasks and following suit.

Some days of life in S-D World, it is all I can do to coax myself into engagement. It is tough to snap out of android-mode and realize the responsibility of raising little souls. And of course, during those times, I often fail to see the gravity of my job, as I am only concerned with survival. But usually, it doesn't take long for the Spirit to prod me and help me to see that He will give me strength, and that I still need to be faithful to do more than the physical tasks at hand. I must be sure to shepherd their little hearts...to teach them that Christ is always to be exalted and that in all things we need to seek to glorify God. So, when I feel like I am spending an inordinate amount of time in S-D World, a wonderful verse to remember is:

No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide a way of escape also, so that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13