“How did you get your power?” my youngest asked me when he  walked into my bedroom. I was busy putting away a load of clothes and stopped what I was doing to give him my full attention. 

“What, honey?” I asked my five-year old.

Titus looked up at me with his sun-kissed curly locks, flushed face, and glossy eyes. “How did you get your power?” he said again.

I had to laugh because I knew exactly what he was referencing… 

Earlier that week at lunch, my oldest boy, Nathan, had asked me how come I didn’t get sick. He was doing his absolute best to dodge the germs from his younger siblings and couldn’t figure out how I could get up close and personal to all the germs as I cared for everyone who was sick in the house and stay well.

I had smiled and told my four children that it was my “superpower.”

My husband who was standing right next to me helping make lunch piped up, “It’s against the rules for moms to get sick.” I laughed because that’s what I had been saying for years. “Someone’s gotta be nurse!"

Recalling that moment, I gave my attention back to Titus who was still awaiting an answer, “Moms are just strong like that.” I told him, “They just don’t get sick.”

Happy with the answer, he left the room as quickly as he came in. 

I finished putting the remainder of the laundry away and took a deep breath. Titus’ glossy eyes meant one thing - I was in for another long night. It would be the fourth consecutive night with fevers in the house…but who was counting?

It had started over the weekend when I noticed my normally energetic boy, Josiah, quiet and lethargic with that tell-tale sign of a fever with the glossy eyes. I left church soon after taking a good look at him and took his temperature the moment we got home. It read 103.6! That night was a sleepless one with some delirium smack dab in the middle of it.

The weekend itself was not a convenient weekend to have one of my “babies” not feeling well. But when is sickness ever convenient? My husband was leading worship for all three services, and I was preaching! With that being said, it wasn’t like either one of us could stay home with Josiah; and we aren’t quite there where we can leave one (or some) home alone for hours at a time. It felt a little like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, so the call we made was to bring him to church with us. 

Holding a pillow and a blanket and coming into the side door, I found an empty room with a couch and TV where I was able to quarantine him for the entire morning. 

I was thankful to have Grandma “Eddie” check on him periodically. She sat with him and brought him Gatorade when his apple juice ran out. I was thankful that his fever wasn’t as high as it had been 12 short hours earlier. I was also thankful that we made it through the weekend and the other three children were seemingly well.

Monday arrived and Josiah had turned a corner for the better, but my daughter presented with the same symptoms…which called for another long, sleepless and delirious night. 

More cold washcloths on the forehead and eyes, more essential oils diffusing in their bedrooms, more Gatorade in water bottles to keep them hydrated, more middle-of-the-night temperature checks to make sure the fevers weren’t getting out of control.

More sickness and more need of my superpower!

Tuesday rolled around and I did school with the older boys but gave Lydia a Sick Day as she was still very much unwell. My own fatigue was setting in as it had been another long day and late night - followed by a dense week and weekend.

On Wednesday, Josiah successfully completed a day of school while Lydia spent the majority of the day on the couch or in her bed. 

That same evening I found it odd that Titus was all wrapped up in a blanket in a tight little ball on the living room floor. When I checked his temperature right after that short-lived conversation in my bedroom while putting away clothes, I wasn’t surprised at all to see it read 102.6. 

Apparently misery loves company because once I had informed Titus that he had a fever, he went immediately to find his older sister and exclaimed, “Lydia! I’m sick too!!” 

So I’m currently on Day 5 of high fevers and sleepless nights, but apparently, this is my superpower! I’m a mom and “moms don’t get sick!”

My body craves rest. My soul craves encouragement. And my spirit is believing for a small miracle that my oldest, myself, and my husband will be able to successfully dodge the virus. But all in all, I can confidently say, “It is well with my soul.”

Like a bad house guest, sickness never shows up when it’s convenient and tends to overstay its welcome. When it finally does decide to leave, it takes a few days for you to even catch your breath to clean up its mess.

But this is my superpower! I mean, I can get right in there with my kisses and hugs and come out unscathed. And while I stand and pray over their small fevered bodies, I assure them that their sickness won’t last forever and that, “The birds always sing in the morning.”

And after I tuck them in at night - fevered and all - and walk out of their room - I feel good. Like good moms who love hard do.

And honestly, strange as it sounds, there is some comfort that I find that even in their delirium that causes their panicked tears in the middle of the night, they cry out for me - their mom - with her superpower!

So, Lord Jesus, thank You for this strength - to mother when it’s not fair nor convenient. Thank You for the grace to nurture when (truth be told) I’m doing it out of my own delirious, sleep-deprived state. Thank You for the assurance that “this too shall pass.” The coughs will end and the fevers will come down. Eventually the bedding will all get washed, the bathrooms sanitized, the dishes done, and the laundry caught up. 

Although I’m in for another long night with another sick child for another sleep-interrupted night - I’m thankful. I’m thankful because I remember that mothering is a gift that YOU have given me. That I not only have the ability - but the capacity to “mother on purpose - with purpose.” There is greatness in my work and what I do matters.

And, Jesus, I am believing for health and healing to come to my home. I am believing for that so badly right now! But even if it tarries another day or two, I won’t lose my joy nor my sight of You. I know that some days call for health and other days call for healing, but help me to mother just the same - full of this “power” that You have already provided. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”