Thursday, September 13, 2007

A Life Well Lived....

I have had so much to think about today. My sweet husband had surgery on Tuesday as I had mentioned and the recovery has been so rough. We truly covet your prayers. In addition to the grief of watching one you love hurt, ironically this girl from a medical family practically overdosed my husband. I have been flitting about, silently patting myself on the back for being such a compassionate, competent nurse and as I handed the hydrocodone to my husband last night, he looked at it and said in a tonsil-less whisper, "is this right? It seems you are giving me more and more." Always one to have a hard time admitting I am wrong, I confidently replied, "of course." He handed me back the half full shot glass (it is actually cute little rooster juice glasses but the size of a shot glass) and said, "well then I don't want this much." It was then I realized that yesterday morning, I had begun measuring his medicine with a medicine cup and had thought the tablespoon was actually a teaspoon. I have been sick over my mistake and though I know guilt is not of the Lord, I have been drowning in it. I asked for the forgiveness of my in-laws, who are here as well to take care of him and they graciously showed me lavish grace. Even my husband, who is hurting so extra badly today because he had 4 times the medicine yesterday to hide the true pain and has had horrible stomach problems all afternoon (thankfully the doc says is from the antibotic and not the pain meds OD but you can never be sure) has forgiven me. But I am just sick over my carelessness, my irresponsibilty. It is so typical of me. I do things so fast and so confidently. My husband, who I affectionately dubbed my turtle, does EVERYTHING slowly, precisely. Whereas it takes me 20 minutes tops to pay our bills and balance our checkbook, it would have taken him 2 hours. So this error is not only careless, but I have been asked repeatly by my husband to slow down and pay better attention. I gambled with his life and PRAISE GOD His hand was protecting his body from me. I am reminded how sweet grace truly is...the unmerited favor shown at the darkest of times. It has reminded me of Jesus...whose live WAS given for me, even when it was MY sin that put Him there.
I also wanted to use this post to honor a life well lived. Isn't sweet, such a measure of God's care for us that He gives us precious friends to walk beside in this life? My family had PRECIOUS friends. I now realize how unusual it is to have other families that feel as close as your blood. That have walked beside you through each stage and have spoken into your life in powerful ways. One such family in our lives is the Wells family. Most of you that know me have heard me speak of them and know how special they are to us. In college, my parents finally moved next door to them and we have gotten to share a cul-de-sac as well as our lives. The mom, Suzi, is a precious Godly woman who comes from an incredible Godly heritage. You know when you meet someone whose life just screams BLESSING? She is one such woman. Not only from her own choices in life but also from her Godly parents whose prayers have followed her throughout life. Our families are close enough that we loved each others extended family as well. Suzi's Mommy, sweet Boettsie went home to be the Lord this morning. When my Mom called to tell me this morning, my heart broke for Suzi's Dad, who loved his wife more than his own life. Theirs was a love affair worth wrtiting about....But also thought of the party going on in Heaven to welcome such a precious child home. I have no doubt she heard the words "well done good and faithful servant" and that her crown was so full of the jewels of her servant's heart that they had to get help as she laid it at the feet of her Jesus. Her needlepointed picture she finished for me sits by my beside, reminding me to "keep my eyes on Jesus" as she so often told us all. But more importantly, her life showed us how. This fallen world is brighter because God shared her with us. She will be so missed....

Monday, September 10, 2007

I'm Back!

For all the business of summer, my computer COMPLETELY crashing, I mean dead....and the anticipation of my hubbies upcoming surgery (removal of tonsils and fixing a deviated septum), I have been out of action on the blog front. Not much new to report in my world, except for the fact I got a sweet new iMAC computer which has been fun to tinker with....expect lots of new fun videos and pics. Although probably more so on Abby Kate's blog than on this one.
I have been trying to think of a subject of significance to post updating on my thoughts, life, new tricks...hmmm....but I keep coming up empty.
I have been contemplating my favorite blog subject....motherhood lately. I am realizing how hard the first child sydrome is when you stay home and spend time with them all day. Lets just say she is suffering from extreme egocentric-ism. We have gone to play at the mall a few times and she just sits there fasinated but will not play unless I am glued to her side. I am trying to encourage her to play by herself by making myself unable throughout the day. She is getting better. However, this child I thought was going to be fearless seems to have a timid side when she gets around other children. I know this makes sense. She is with me all day and is always at ease with adults. She just is struggling with her counterparts. I am starting a Bible study on Thursday mornings at our church so she will have more time with other children then as well as at church on Sundays. We do play dates and she does well after a while. She does much better with older children than with other toddlers. I can see how this is a downside of children being at home instead of daycare. However, I am willing to pay this price so this is merely thinking out loud than wishing for the alternative.
I am doing a little fall cleaning around here and doing massive purging. We still have so much stuff we got from our wedding that has never been out of the box....glasses that have never been used, etc...I am now just trying to figure out what is going to Goodwill and what will be consigned or yard sold (random grammar...sorry). I hate yard sales but I may have to do one with this random assortment of things. I am just craving organization in my life!
I am about to start a few new projects. Painting an armoire and iron bed and bedside tables for Abby Kate's big girl room. I am super excited about the armoire. I am painting it antique white and will distress it and am taking out the panels of the top two doors and getting coordinating fabric and gathering it on a rod at the top and bottom and hanging it over the opening. I will post pictures when I finished. I still have not figured out when we are going to transition but as soon as things settle down we will try. I really would like to make my office a playroom as well and make move the craft table in here. I would love to paint a wall with the chalkboard paint so we would have a HUGE canvas to draw upon but I am sure that would not be great for resale someday nor are we sold on what rooms will be children's bedrooms eventually so I am sure I will hold off. She is getting pretty into coloring now so the endless possibilities of art projets make me giddy!
I also started painting monogrammed canvases for friend's weddings, birthday gifts and/or baby gifts and starting selling them so that has been fun too. I am doing small canvases with wired ribbons to hang spelling "thankful" for over my mantle (or entryway....haven't decided) for fall and am going to do the same spelling "believe" for Christmas. It is super easy. Just get stencil paper and find a font you love and then print it. Cut out the stencil and trace it onto the painted canvas. The get a hard wired small paint brush and paint away. This part takes practice but you could do it! I LOVE decorating for holidays!
I so hope all is well in each of your lives. God is so good!