release and unity: what the [nurse practitioner] ordered

        a couple of weeks ago i went down to fresno to have a nerve conduction study, well, conducted on myself.  today i went to see my nurse practitioner to hear about the results of that test and what those results mean.  

you see i have had a hunch for awhile now that i may have carpal tunnel syndrome.  and it was confirmed today that my suspicions were correct.  i guess that my carpal tunnel has excessive pressure from the top and years of slinging coffee exacerbated the problem.  (like that word, mama?)  anyhow, what that means is i have to have a small, out-patient surgery to release (shouldn't it be "relieve?") said pressure.

i was fairly certain going into the appointment today that this would be the verdict, though i was hoping it wouldn't be.  i am not thrilled with the idea that i will be unable to use my hand for at least two weeks following the surgery(ies).  i say "surgeries" because they typically do your wrists one at a time to afford you one working hand in the meantime.  so i think i'll have to do it twice.  the right hand will be first, since it is the more extreme.  these are not yet scheduled, so i'll have to wait and see about that.

at the end of the day (it's nearly 10 pm and i work in the morning), i have a few reflections.  first off, i was watching an interview of gianna jessen and she claims to have the GIFT of cerebral palsy. the GIFT!   what an incredible outlook!  that stopped me in my tracks when i heard her say that.  so i prayed today and thanked the Lord, the good Lord Jesus Christ, for the gift of carpal tunnel syndrome.  (even as i type my fingers are falling asleep . . . )  when you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have such confidence in Him and His promises.  therefore i know that He will work this together for good for me because i love Him and i am called according to His purpose!  (do you get that it's not about us?!)

secondly, my nurse practitioner (without asking us our beliefs or anything) began preaching to judah, my mom and i today in the exam room.  he asked me why Jesus loves me.  then he told me: it's because i'm His daughter!  he asked, "judah is allowed at any point to crawl up into your lap; no matter what, no matter where, right?"  of course.  and how does she feel there in my arms?  safe, comforted, at peace.  "and how," he asked me, "do you feel with her in your arms?"  comforted and at peace!  "so," my np says, "you remember that is how the Lord feels when you snuggle up into His arms."   

can i say, "wow!?"  yeah, in california, in a public doctor's office, this man pulled out Scripture and blessed me today!  (if prop 8 passes next week, he may be out of a job doing this!  but we trust in our Lord!)  anyhow, he ordered surgery and a thorough reading of john 17 for me.  he wanted me to go home and read about unity.  he is blown away by Jesus' prayer for us, that if we are truly united in Christ, our love for one another will point non-believers to God!  i just had to share this with you because it was such a blessing to my mama and i today to have this man as our medical professional!  

the Lord is good all the time and all the time the Lord is good!

** disclaimer **  judah is NOT yet crawling, the np was just saying that as a "for instance."  i will let you all know when she accomplishes that!

for those of you not on facebook

this is my new favorite picture:

friends, americans, countrymen, lend me your ears!

a video is worth . . .

???????

for sarah

okay, well i have been tagged by sarah. here's the game. you have to go to your picture files and choose the fourth file. then choose the fourth photo in said file. post that picture and tell about it. i did and i came up with this picture.

this is steph and jeff and i! we were in the car driving from my parents' house to l.a. this was taken in september 2006 when i had three weeks in the states! i was here between my 6 months volunteering at angel house and the beginning of my time as the house manager. i had extensions in my hair. my parents were so kind and drove me halfway down to l.a. and then my friends picked me up! i had a lot of fun during those weeks. my friend kellie and i got to take brendie out for her birthday and i spent some time with all my southern california friends.

so now i have to tag four people. here goes:

amy j.

lena w.

lara m.

lizzie h.

:)

have fun!

for you, waiting parents of far away children

Your throne, o God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

psalm 45:6

     the sky may be absolutely black; the wind my be howling; we may be wondering if we will EVER get home . . . yet we can rest in Him.  God NEVER leaves His throne.

... this i found on the page-a-day calendar my mom has in my bathroom.  i really wanted to post it and share it with all of you waiting f-o-r-e-v-e-r for your children to come home.  don't forget the story of isaac.  don't forget how the Lord promised to abraham and sarah a son.  don't forget that sarah was barren.  don't forget that she laughed in the face of God.  and don't forget that she had her son ~> and named him "laughter!"  

your children WILL come home. and no matter what the problems are, the truth is, the Lord's timing is still perfect.

love you all!