30 Day Challenge: Days 10-12

I've been finding it hard to stick to the challenge over the weekend and into this week. It's not that I can't find anything positive to say to my husband, it's more that I don't seem to have time to do it. Emily hasn't been sleeping well and I've been getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night for the past few nights. I still can't seem to figure out what is bothering her and why she is crying/whining so much, which has really frustrated me. It's tough to comfort a crying child who simply won't listen to reason. The whole point is that I'm in a really tough area with my daughter. This age to me is the most challenging. I feel unprepared for this stage; the constant energy, constant questions, constant correction, temper tantrums, defiance, etc. Where did my sweet smiling little baby go!? I've really been letting my attitude sink into bitterness and I know that I shouldn't. I have felt defeated, overwhelmed, and drained. Well, today while I was on-line I went to a link called Praying for Heather. What I found there was a story of a mother, who has a brain tumor and is undergoing chemotherapy (with 3 children at home). From her page was a link to read a story about her daughter, Emma Grace. I read it, heart broken for this woman and the pain she had to endure, and suddenly I realized my attitude had to change. I encourage you to check out her website and read her story: http://www.especiallyheather.com/emma/
This woman's attitude through all of what she is going through is astonishing! She closes the story about her fight with cancer with this verse:

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
~2 Corinthians 12:8-10~

I'm not quite sure what to write about what I have taken away from her story. All I know is that it impacted me dramatically and I'm so thankful for this woman and her willingness to share her struggles. I am ashamed to have been so bitter, frustrated, and negative over things that are so incredibly small. I truly have been blessed, and have no reason to let my emotions darken my days. Life is short and I am convinced that there is no place for negativity in any of the days that God has chosen to give me. So today, I am humbled by this woman's spirit, and praying that I gain that same perspective in life.