In The Middle Of The Night...

In the middle of the night, with five delightful children, after a full day, it is ever so hard to get up to a crying child. Admittedly, in the past, once the next baby has come along (usually once the previous baby is 2 years old) my darling husband Christian gets up to the older children, which usually only means the 2 year old.

But what does one do, when you have to get up to baby? Oh the baby settles, sounds very much like they are asleep, so you get back into bed, and as happened last night, you just start to get warm again when "Mama?...Mamaaa!" Deep sigh, out of bed again.

In the past, I have struggled with this getting up in the middle of the night. I'm tired, I'm cold and soon after I find myself grumpy too. This changed with The Man. I discovered that one can pray in the dark! So I would sit in front of the open curtains looking out onto the Sem yard (Australian Lutheran College) and pray for those who came to mind. I felt a little sad when these times ended.

When Joybug was a new baby back in 2011, I listened to some great books on my iPod whilst feeding her at night. It was a great time of learning and encouragement, particularly as when you have 5 children the days are so demanding and it's so hard to find time to yourself to do this. During this time I did listen to Redeeming Love,  but whilst it's a great read, it's not good for the middle of the night, when you have to go to sleep again. I found myself far to wound up, and had to listen to more.

With Joybug last year (they all seem to start waking again at 9 months for me), I spent much time praying for a dear brother, Buddy, who was going through a very rough time. This became a wonderful time of feeling close to my Lord, but also becoming great friends again with my dear Buddy.

I encourage Buddy, and he encourages me. He encouraged me to listen to Prodigal God by Pastor Tim Keller. I read the book, have watched the sermon series, and recommend it. It was fantastic, life changing stuff.

I now have a new iPod (no, I don't have or want an iPhone), and I've started listening to Mark Driscoll - Who Do You Think You Are? Brilliant spiritual life growing stuff.

Particularly, last night I listened to I Am In Christ. Such an encouragement to know my identity is not in being a Mum, or a wife or being joyful or frustrated or tired or being a pastors wife, but rather my identity is "in Christ". I put my hope in Christ, because He has already done it all. In Christ, I can do all things, because He gives me strength.