DOWN Time...10 Things on My Mind!

Well, here is the scoop- last Friday I went in for a hysterectomy. I will save you from all of the details, I actually thought I would skip by the whole situation on the blog, but I am laying in bed and have some time on my hands, and I just knew you would be dying to hear about my random thoughts these past few days! :) I didn't have a ton of time to prepare for the surgery, I had to go to the ER 2 weeks ago and the end result was a trip to my OB where we decided to get this done and alleviate the pain. You might remember Milly's Story (LINK)- this has been sneaking on me for a while, so not a huge shock!
I just finished Priscilla Shirer's "Jonah" study which discusses how we deal with "interruptions"- Jonah was going about his God given plan and all of the sudden it was interrupted by a new God given plan. I actually remember thinking, hmm I haven't had any interruptions recently and I might kind of want one. I need to hit the restart button in several areas- but life gets so busy and I get into a routine and I cant force myself out of the rut-and the interruptions always "hurt" a little or a lot! Have you ever experienced the feeling of- when 2-3 things are going really well (even things like: eating healthy, taking care of my nails, exercising) 5-10 things seem to suffer (time with the Lord, work stuff, reading a book, cooking, quality time with the kids, finances, etc..) It never seems to all be in sync (this side of heaven!) I have needed a little "restart" button for a little while now and apparently it took the Lord laying me flat on my back to get me to evaluate my priorities. So..I am looking at this as the greatest gift- a week to lay in bed and allow others to serve you sounds pretty fabulous for most of us until you experience the extremely humbling task of completely relying on others to run your family life! I think we have two choices during times like this- 1) be miserable, frustrated and "strong" - not asking for help, not wanting to inconvenience others, not admitting our weakness, remain in "control" (this is what my natural person wants to do by the way) OR 2) accept the service and love of others, put yourself as priority and embrace the interruption, release control and take one day at a time. I am trying my hardest to do #2 and here are 10 things on my mind:
1) I prayed for good friends here in KC for the first two years of being here- I think I wanted them dropped in my lap without putting forth any effort. God has shown me how perfectly he has answered those prayers- each friendship I have here is so unique and special to me because we are slowly just doing life together and finding things in common. It sometimes takes a "life event" to show you how blessed you are by a community of friends. I cannot tell you how many meals, flowers, kid pick-ups, Starbucks drop-off's, texts, emails, etc.. I have received already- it is humbling and overwhelming! I sat there the other day and just burst into tears when I received the many emails telling me people were praying for me on Friday- The God of the Universe and His heavens were being stormed with prayer for little me! Let that soak in for a bit- and if you have something that needs prayer (we all do, great or small)- ask someone to pray for you- it will bless you and bless them!
2) I know it is not "technically" a love language, but Starbucks is my love language- glad we have that covered!
3) I realize how little time I spend with the girls doing NOTHING. When I am physically able, I am so busy running around, getting things done that I allow the girls to play together a lot and I don't just sit and hang with them. I am extremely task oriented, so it drives me crazy to have something on my checklist that is "unchecked"- I love that I am physically unable to "do my life"- I am just hanging out with the girls and that is fun!
4) I am super grateful for Pinterest- I just am!
5) My family (husband included) really CAN do more around the house than I allow them to do. enough said :)
6) Amazon Prime is AMAZING- I am 99% done with Christmas shopping for our family!
7) TV=Trash- seriously! You could sit and get sucked into superficial, unrealistic crap for HOURS, so easily! Around the 4th hour of "The Today Show" I think- seriously, Jesus, please return NOW. I can't handle any more! It is amazing how it can control our emotions- I can get angry (CNN or MSNBC can arouse this in me within seconds), sad, happy, guilty, judgmental, insecure, prideful...all because of an "entertainment industry"- Praise the Lord for The Food Network and HGTV! I am grateful for my "real life" where I don't ever think to watch TV, I am not missing out. (we wont discuss my internet surfing problem- I am FAR from perfect!)
8) I am just NUTS about this song right now: LINK- listen to the whole song and allow yourself to believe it...completely- you know how much you love your babies? HE loves you MORE than that!
9) One of my CA godmothers sent me this scripture that she was praying for me and it just hit me in a new way this past week- isn't that AMAZING, how we can read The Bible for YEARS and it meets us where we are, in a fresh new way each time- that's the Holy Spirit friends! Psalm 91 (see below)
10) Finally, a new pair of Pj's, a little blush and a shower are LIFE CHANGING....seriously!

Bonus #11: No one takes care of you like your mama! It's times like this when we remember that- I am so grateful that my mom changed her schedule to hang with the girls and help me this week! 

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler^[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”