Ahhhh, to sit on my bed wearing frumpy clothes, drinking coffee, eating more than my share of Good & Plenty, with only 1 of the 3 kiddos at home to make me crazy:) Quite the Monday morning right...wait, it's almost noon. Anywho, a few days ago while driving the kiddos around town and running all sorts of errands, my ever oh so inquisitive 8 year old asks me, "Momma, whatever happened to our Poka Dot Ports?" I confess, it took me a second to even recall what she was talking about. Funny, how life just keeps happening around here and we forget about all sorts of things including lost passions, favorite shirts, goals we set a month ago, reordering make up supplies ect. I'd like to call it living but deep down I know there's more to it than that.
Let me back up a bit.
June 11th I went in for my first set of spinal epidurals. Not at all a fun day but in my case, pretty necessary. 4 shots of steroids with crazy long needles were injected into my spine in hopes of easing the gut wrenching pain I struggle with daily from mild scoliosis, nerve damage and degenerative disk in my low lumbar.
June 25th a steady growing begin tumor was found on my right ovary and the next thing I knew, I was having a hysterectomy done. Soon after I was diagnosed with severe RA to accompany the fybro already having a party within my body. Lovely.
August 7, I turned 31, a happy day indeed:)
September 5th, I had my 2nd round of spinal epidurals done for all the same reasons. It's an awful process but one we had to endure again after the hysterectomy wiped out the effects of the last set.
In between, Riley had surgery #11, another G-tube surgery with a new and improved tube since her last one had broken off. Yep, broken off indeed. We haven't had the most luck with g-tubes but the positive of it is that I'm now a pro with all things feeding tube related:)
In the time of my bed rest from the surgery, God really spoke to me and to Port. We saw many of our truest friends and most loving family rally around us to support and love us during a super hard time. Meals, flowers, cards, calls, FB messages, visits and more kept us afloat. But it was in this time, when all of the our world came to a near screeching halt that we realized what God was calling us too. There was and still is so much in our lives that must change.
We were getting comfortable, too comfortable in our walk with Him, in our prayer life, even those we held as close friends. Suddenly it was as if God shown a bright light into our lives, showing all that needed changing while forcing me down to heal. We knew that in order to truly honor God, to really and whole heartily seek Him, we needed to walk away from certain things and even places. It's a rugged process, one filled with turmoil and sorrow. But as His word promises, our joy came with the morning. Even in the midst of opposition and trial, we began to experience such blessings in so many aspects of our lives. Prayers we had been praying were being answered, peace was given, our hearts and spirits restored. Isn't God good?!
I encourage you today, to pause this rat race called life and sincerely seek Him. Take a minute and inquire of the LORD what He may have you do next, what area of your life needs changing, what bright light needs shining for you.
"Take rest; a field that has rested yields a bountiful crop." ~ Ovid