Here on earth (update #1)
My life lately has been focused on receiving. It is interesting that God gives me a time of receiving immediately after I set a goal about what I will be doing differently. Each day ask the question
What am I doing to work toward God's kingdom coming and God's will being done on earth today?
And then answer is "receive".
I had a hysterectomy ten days ago. Today was my first day back to church, and this afternoon I was able to walk over 1 3/4 miles with the dogs and still feel good when I was done.
In the meantime my life has revolved a lot around gratitude.
I found in the last week that it is hard to remember each day to ask the question. It is also hard, upon asking it, to have much of an idea of the answer. It would be so easy to go back over the day and look through my activities to either justify or condemn them, but that isn't how I want to live.
Today I realized that I'm going to have to ask the question on more of a minute by minute basis. What do I do right now?
As for computer games---I have not played any electronic game by myself since making this goal. I did play a game with Luke for a little while, and I feel good about that. It was a simple game that he wanted to teach me. He taught me so sweetly, and then gave me turn after turn. Each time I told him it was his turn he would push it back to me and say, "You do it again." I think the time was well spent letting a three year old take care of his Gammy for a bit.
I've had several people write or talk to me about the goals and make suggestions or ask questions or offer perspectives. Each of those has been helpful and I will include them in future posts. Those comments really get me thinking so if there are any comments you would like to add, please put them here or give me a call or email. It refines my thinking and I so appreciate that.
What am I doing to work toward God's kingdom coming and God's will being done on earth today?
And then answer is "receive".
I had a hysterectomy ten days ago. Today was my first day back to church, and this afternoon I was able to walk over 1 3/4 miles with the dogs and still feel good when I was done.
In the meantime my life has revolved a lot around gratitude.
- Before my surgery I had several calls and messages to let me know I was loved, that I was prayed for, that there would be food, etc. I was a bit awed by it. I was taking the surgery pretty lightly, I think, and having people call to say they loved me felt like such a huge gift.
- I had wonderful care at the hospital, especially from Chuck. It reminded me of when our babies came...he was so attentive to anything I might need, so gentle, so ready to set his needs aside to take care of mine.
- Becca arrived home the day after surgery to take care of me and to celebrate our family Christmas. Her being here now has been such a gift. Having the family gather here for a whole day including two meals seemed like no big deal thanks to Becca, to Chuck, and to Ben, Andrea, Laura, and Greg for all helping to make it happen around me.
- Meals were provided by family and Sunday School class members for a week, with leftovers enough to feed us for several more days...and flowers also came, along with hugs and phone calls and other expressions of love and support.
- I had a da vinci robotic surgery, which means recovery time is very short.
- I am finished with all the health issues that I tolerated! Every morning I wake up and remember that never again will I have to deal with that. I didn't realize how much I resented it until it was over...I'm assuming that the huge sense of gratitude equals in some measure how frustrating it was before.
- Wes loaned us his brand new xbox 360 for my recuperation time. I have NOT played games on it, but I have enjoyed netflix a lot. It will be going back to Wes sometime in the next day or so.
- My parents have called repeatedly and come by several times with offers for help. They fed us all day yesterday, and Mom is coming over tomorrow to help me take down Christmas stuff.
- We got to skype twice with Tim since the surgery and I am so looking forward to seeing him in person soon.
I found in the last week that it is hard to remember each day to ask the question. It is also hard, upon asking it, to have much of an idea of the answer. It would be so easy to go back over the day and look through my activities to either justify or condemn them, but that isn't how I want to live.
Today I realized that I'm going to have to ask the question on more of a minute by minute basis. What do I do right now?
As for computer games---I have not played any electronic game by myself since making this goal. I did play a game with Luke for a little while, and I feel good about that. It was a simple game that he wanted to teach me. He taught me so sweetly, and then gave me turn after turn. Each time I told him it was his turn he would push it back to me and say, "You do it again." I think the time was well spent letting a three year old take care of his Gammy for a bit.
I've had several people write or talk to me about the goals and make suggestions or ask questions or offer perspectives. Each of those has been helpful and I will include them in future posts. Those comments really get me thinking so if there are any comments you would like to add, please put them here or give me a call or email. It refines my thinking and I so appreciate that.
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