Browsing Tag

God

Encouragement, Health, Life Is Beautiful

The Miracle of Premature Birth

God is good. It’s a simple phrase of three words that we hear often. It’s usually followed by “all the time.” Right now, for me, the phrase reminds me of a raw fear I felt 13 years ago at this time. Thirteen years ago on this day, I was a few days post-op from having my first Crohn’s-related surgery.

It had been a painful time leading up to this emergent surgery. I had months earlier happily discovered I was expecting my second child, something I had been hoping for. I knew almost as soon as the early pregnancy test showed a faint positive that Fourth of July, that this pregnancy was very different from my first.

I was sick…morning, noon, and night sickness for three months that ended when the real pain began. I had such severe abdominal pain that by the time evening arrived each day, I was literally crawling to bed because I was in too much pain to stand upright.

Doctor visits and ultrasounds revealed an intestinal narrowing–an unfortunate but common occurrence in Crohn’s patients. The plan? Wait it out and see what came first–delivery or bowel perforation. I prayed for a healthy delivery. Continue Reading

Encouragement, Life Is Beautiful

The Soundtrack of My Soul

Remember your first love? The summer after graduation? A special college get-together? Your wedding? An epic road trip? I’d bet that for every one of these occasions and dozens more, you have a song that, when you hear it, takes you right back to that moment in your history. It evokes a memory and a feeling and maybe a person. Sometimes it’s a welcome memory, sometimes something you’d rather forget, and sometimes it provokes a good cry. Every time Rick Springfield comes on the radio or TV or pops up in social media, I immediately think of Jen, my best friend, and comrade in all things Rick. We’ve been “Rick’s biggest fans” since sixth grade. His music is good and he’s played in the background of our lives for the past thirty years. Continue Reading

Encouragement, Life Is Beautiful

Anxiety, Fear & Other Things I Can Leave in 2014

What if we made New Year’s resolutions that really stuck? What if we used every year as a learning experience? A launching pad into the new year, armed with all this valuable knowledge with which to make the upcoming year so much better?

With the transition into every new year comes a time of reflection. We look back on the year before. Sometimes we bid it good riddance. Sometimes we’re sad to see it go. Other times, we look back with a sense of satisfaction and an attitude that it was a solid year, had its ups and downs (but thankfully more ups), and we came away with some good thoughts and lessons learned, stronger and ready to embrace the new year. Continue Reading

Encouragement

In All Things Give Thanks (At Least Try Really Hard!)

We’ve all heard this, to give thanks in all things. It’s hard to do sometimes. Can I get a witness? It’s really difficult to be thankful when you’re facing an unexpected but necessary expense that you’re wondering how on Earth you’ll pay. When your house is a mess, you’re exhausted, and this is only the beginning of your day, thankfulness may be the last thing on your mind. When things get you down, try to flip the script.

 

Instead of fretting about that bill (and I’m preaching to myself here too), pray for God to provide the means to handle it.  Be thankful for a Father who listens and cares about our every need (and desire).

 

Instead of grumbling about the dishes to be done, the pies to be baked, and all the laundry to be put away, (again…this is me today!), be grateful that you have food that dirtied the dishes, guests coming to share the pie, and healthy bodies to clothe and the means with which to clean those clothes and the healthy bodies.

 

If we step outside ourselves for just a moment, we can find even the smallest things to be thankful for.

 

Thank you, Lord, for eyes and sight with which to read this post.

 

Thank you, Father, for the ability to form original thoughts, even when I’m so overwhelmed.

 

Thank you, Jesus, for so much activity in my life and loved ones who count on me even if it means I can scarcely keep my eyes open right now. 

 

                                  Have the most blessed of Thanksgivings!