Absolute NO VACUUMING Today!

I am so glad yesterday is behind me.  So much of the concern laid in the unknown as I went in for the biopsy.  Yet, all the verses I've ever read, studied, meditated on came into my mind over and over....particularly the phrase, "no fear, no panic, no dread".  And so I instead, funnily enough, looked forward to it....in a way!  My husband was able to take the time off and made it an amazing day.   I have trained him VERY well.  Being our 25th year, I have made it clear I am celebrating ALL YEAR.  Sooooooo....that means, if I'm having a procedure done that could be potentially life changing, we grab lunch before hand!  Oooooorrrr....after it is done, we go out again!  And that is what we did!  It made for an actually fun day.  My sister came, even though she didn't need to, and supplied food for all the meals and snacks for the whole day and then some.  I had parents and friends praying.  I felt well-supported.

The final results will be in a week or so.  I thought I was on the "unlikely for bad news" side, but it appears, according to the doctor, that there is a ranking scale and I fall right in the middle, so it could go either way.  I'm not worried.  We joke about it.  We know it "won't matter", regardless of the results because when God is control everything, absolutely everything, works out for His glory in some way.

The best part of the procedure was that under NO CONDITIONS am I supposed to vacuum today!  Very funny.  Or ski, or aerobics, or weightlifting....all things I might have considered doing if they hadn't specifically mentioned them.  Haha.  So I'm off the hook.  Whew!

Perhaps I am too honest with the kids, but I can't help it.  I prefer to be an open book.  I explained what was going on and I explained that there was risk and that we don't know what the future holds.  Naturally there was some concern, particularly with my 11 year girl and 9 year old boy.  Yet we looked back on the past month we've had, full of miracles and unusual blessings from all the things that have gone on in my two daughter's lives with work and school, to the people getting saved all around us, including my neighbour's husband who we will see get baptized this weekend, to the non-believers in our lives who are starting to ask amazing questions about faith, to strange sources of money we didn't expect......the list goes on and on.....I told the kids, "Do you think God allowed all those miracles and blessings to happen just so that we would know that we don't need to be afraid?"  Yes, they all agreed.  God is clearly working.  We see it.  So when we wonder about the future, we just need to reflect on the past...then we are reminded there is no need to fear....EVER.

When I was in the procedure, back at home my sister grabbed all the cousins and they all sat and prayed together, each one of them.  Who has that privilege?!  Very few.  A bunch of younger cousins, all under the age of 12, six of them, praying for their aunt/mom.  Even in knowing that I feel so blessed.  This is how I can walk around in anticipation!  Curious about results, wondering even.  I almost can't wait to hear what they are.  Living life like that changes everything.

My husband read Isaiah 30 where it says, "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher."  The bread of adversity, the water of affliction.  We've had that many times in our marriage.  And though we didn't love it at the time, those times have 100% taught me that I can trust Him.  I've seen Him use adversity and affliction in my life, only for good.  My eyes see my Teacher for sure, the true Teacher, who uses adversity and affliction for good in my life.

This morning we sat with my super stressed son.  I just found out yesterday that he "accidentally" took a 4th year course thinking he had all the right prerequisites.  He didn't.  The course calendar had lied, or at least had missed out on some very vital information.  He feels like he is drowning.  No, change that, he IS drowning!  But, I stopped him.  I told him that this is the greatest thing that could have happened to him.  He doesn't need to fight the course, but instead use the adversity and affliction to push him, to make him study even harder.  He was up and gone yesterday by 6:30 am and got home after 9 pm.  He studied 15 hours or something crazy like that.  Tell me he won't be doing that in med school if he gets in.  So God is using the drowning feeling to push him, to make him excel.  I feel sorry for him, but at the same time I told him to be excited. And that's how I feel, too.  I'm excited for next week's results.  I know God is doing something crazy in our lives right now and it is a fun ride to be on.

Today one of our unsaved friends is stepping out in faith and meeting with a staff person from Power to Change on his university campus in Ottawa.  He's so amazed at how this other girl we all know got saved.  He can't believe it's true because she was quite the party animal up until a week and a half ago.  He's meeting with my brother on the weekend.  He has to know how and why he got saved.  If this guy gets saved, there is going to be one big party in heaven and on earth!  So when I see these things going on, when I witness answers to prayer on a DAILY BASIS, then I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, I can trust the One who allows adversity and affliction.  

When I met with another friend this past weekend, I sat with her and I didn't mean to go on and on, but I just couldn't stop.  She encouraged me though and said, "Tell me more!"  So I did!  I had so many things to tell her that God had been doing that it encouraged her in her own life.  Maybe that's why I write it all down.  Just in case my kids ever wonder if God worked in our life they'll be able to read these things and say, oh yeah, He did.

Well, at least I don't have to vacuum today.  I can just sit and watch dust and dirt accumulate completely guilt free!  See, another odd blessing in my life!