How Great Thou Art

     Lack of sleep is one of the hardest parts of motherhood for me. I have always needed a lot of sleep to be a decent human being, and though I am getting better at running (and being kind) on less sleep, it is still tough for me. All three of my kids are sick right now, so this week has involved lots of middle-of-the-night snuggles, most of which have taken place in the bathroom with a hot shower running so that the steam can unclog stuffy noses and help coughs - which means I have been running on low in the sleep department lately. 

     This morning around 5, Jonah woke up. By the time I took care of his stuffy nose and got him fed and back in bed, it was time for Sam to get up so he could be at work early. A large part of me wanted to crawl back under the covers and go back to sleep, but I decided to get up and jump in the shower instead. 

     I got dressed, and soon after that Sam was on his way out the door. I gave him a kiss and said goodbye to him from the porch. As he opened the car door, he told me to come look at the stars. We live a little ways out of town, so the stars are easily visible without the glare of city lights around us. As I looked up at the beautiful night sky, the first verse of the hymn "How Great Thou Art" came to my mind: 

Oh Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand hath made,

I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;

Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

image from here.

     
     God created such a beautiful world for us to enjoy, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I had this morning to feel of His love through one of His stunning creations. This reminder of His love for me has helped me to be a more patient mother than I might otherwise be today, even though I am incredibly tired.

     

One of my favorite renditions of the hymn.