Thorns & Roses

We have a family tradition during bedtime prayers of asking the kids their favorite and least favorite part of the day.  It is a nice way to hear what is on their hearts.  Recently I heard that some other Missionaries do a similar thing and call it roses and thorns.   

I really like that name. Each day is full of events. Sometimes we find that what was a favorite of one was the least favorite of another.  An example of that was when we went on a hike last year and got stuck in torrential down pour.  Emily and I were miserable and it was our least favorite part of the day, but Jessica and Josh thought it was awesome and the best part of the day.

So what does this have to do with the ant invasion?  Well, for weeks I struggled with ants in my kitchen.  I have sprayed, put down chalk, powder, poisoned, used Terro, made homemade poison, cemented up holes in the wall, prayed, screamed, swatted, and yet nothing has deterred the ants. The other three types of ants we have here, I have learned to live with. The biting ants, the water ants and what I call the Cape Cod ants (huge like I grew up with on Cape Cod).  Interestingly I don’t have the marching in a trail ants like I used to have in California.

One morning I came down and my room and the sink which is normally white was almost completely black. And the counter too, was swarming with ants. I did what any spoiled American would do and called Nestor (our saintly house help) and asked him to come early and take care of the ants. The next time it happened, I took a fly swatter and went nuts killings them. After several more weeks they finally went away.  An answer to prayer, change in season, or something else---I may never know.  I am just glad they are gone. 

What does this have to do with roses and thorns? When these things happen, I really try and see the good in it, or what I can learn from it, or how God is molding me into a more Godly woman through this trial.  But honestly sometimes there are just thorns. There may be no grand message about living humbly, or persevering, or being more stoic.  Maybe these ants are just part of life and a bit of a thorn in my otherwise lovely day.   

There were plenty of thorns in California and Texas. Life would be pretty dull if things went smoothly all the time. There are way more roses than thorns in my life.  Of course that is easier to say now that the ants are gone.

-Joy

Here are some pictures of my roses:

Note from Emily
I love you so much.
you're the best in the world!
you are very kind, loving,
enthusiastic, smart and fun.
from Emily.