Yesterday was busy, and yet, not too bad for work. I even took a 'lunch hour', albeit that I went to the pharmacy to pick up my 'drugs' for the upcoming oral surgery on March 3. Wow. Maybe I'm taking it too lightly. It's a remove the roots of a tooth, add a bone graft (hmm, I wonder where that 'bone' will come from?), and insert a metal screw into my jaw. Yes, it does sound painful, but I will be 'out cold' and won't feel it until afterwards. Which brings me to these drugs. I expected two perhaps, but I received 4 different ones! One pill (literally just one pill!) to take one hour before the surgery. Perhaps that is to calm me down? Then there is a rinse. Then there is an antibotic. Then there is the pain killer. That one surprised me. I usually get hydrocodiene (or however it is spelled - vicadin). But they gave me something much stronger. NOW I think I will get concerned. I love my insurance though - all these 4 prescriptions only cost $4.29 total.
We got a fun and yummy surprise yesterday. One of our neighbors that moved in a few months ago - we have only met twice, I think. She came by in October, I think it was, and asked that we watch her house, pick up her mail, and gave us the keys to her house. She then flew to Hawaii where she said she and her husband had a house and they wanted to pack it up and sell it. They had just sold their house in California before that. They had bought the house caddy-corner from us unseen (and had a lot of work to be done on it!) this summer. They are still in Hawaii, packing up things and getting the house ready to sell. It makes me wonder how big that house is! She called the other day and wanted our address cause they wanted tos end us something. It arrived yesterday - macadamia nut cookies of all kinds from Hawaii! They are small cookies in the shape of pineapple - each a different ingredient - i.e., pineapple macadamia, coconut macadamia, chocolate chip macadamia, etc. We both ate one last night. These are small enough that I could eat 4-5 of them to equal one cookie I would normally eat! But, am going to try to behave myself and limit myself to one whenever we get in it - and it's a big box too! There was a note of how much they appreciated us watching their house and getting their mail (that which wasn't forwarded), and that they pray for us every day. You don't get that very often. The husband is either a retired pastor or they were missionaries, I think. I forget. Her sister, whom we have met as well, I think her husband is a pastor somewhere or was. Anyway, they still don't know when they will be coming back to their home here. We've never met the husband as he has been either working on the California house to sell or the Hawaii house to sell. They want to settle in here. I guess when we reach a certain age we need to gather everything together to keep track of it. We really know nothing of this couple, but I am looking forward to seeing her again. Perhaps I can gain a walking partner and get to walking again. Perhaps I will finally have someone to do a Bible study with.
Which brings me to today. February 1. I have a friend who joined the Breast Cancer Challenge of walking 300,000 steps this month. She posted something about it the other day, and it began to stir something within me when I used to walk a lot more than I do now. I have gotten very lazy in my walking and challenges just haven't gotten me out there. I know some of my 'excuses' are just excuses, but it really has stirred something in me and perhaps I can't do 10,000 steps a day right off the bat again, but perhaps I can do 7,000 a day. I'm not sure how I can get it done - but I'm just going to try. Do I dare sneak out while hubby is gone this morning and walk around the block to get perhaps a thousand steps in? I do get 15 minute breaks ... I'll have to think about that. Or I can just get on my treadmill in the garage. It's cool enough in there that I can do that as well.
I can't wait to get my treadmill in the house. And move the workout bench out of here. It is just too crowded in here when I try to use my weights. Well, on some of the exercises. I'm getting rid of a couple pieces of furniture in the back room and when I get the rubber matting down to put under the treadmill, will get it moved in from the garage. Then I'll move the workout bench to the back room. I also bought a small 'rebounder' trampoline recently. It's supposed to be good for the bones. It has a bar to hold on to but I've left it off. I tried to put it on and hubby was annoying me so much I just put it away. I was having trouble getting the holes to line up for the screws and he kept trying to 'help'. I wish he would just let me be and let me do what I want... if I can't do it, I will ASK for his help.... but he will get in my way and fuss at me because I'm not letting him help - when I don't want his help. sigh. Anyway, I do have dreams now of perhaps making that back room my exercise room (or as hubby tells others, OUR exercise room, although he doesn't use any of it), since we don't seem to find the 'time' to drive down to the rec center to do anything. We should, it's mandatory we pay for it every year. But they also have bowling and shuffleboard inside too - and a pool outside. I think some of the rec centers (we have our choice of 8, I think), have an indoor pool. Not that we use it. I know, it's all me...
I read in Luke this morning, in my Bible, of the Prodigal Son. I am sure you remember the story. Two sons, the youngest asked the father for his inheritance, then took it and squandered it all. When he had reached his lowest point, feeding swine and being so hungry he could have eaten the pods the swine ate, he went home to his father, willing to humble himself and ask to be made a servant. But the part of the story that always warms my heart.... the father, every day, was looking and watching for his son. Can you imagine him perhaps walking to a small hill where he could see all around, and spend hours there, waiting and watching for his child to come home. I think as parents we do that too. When one of our children moves out on their own, we are constantly alert to what need they may have, where they are, what they are doing. It doesn't matter if they are old or young, our hearts are molded with theirs and a part of us is always with them.
I have two sons.... no, they didn't ask for their inheritance (cause I'm spending it all) but they have been out on their own for many years. For some of their teenage years, they turned to our Father and followed Him. Then they turned away from Him. And I still see our Father, standing and watching and waiting, for them to return to Him, to return Home. They both have their own families now, and I'm sure that when a child is away, their hearts are with them. They wait for their return, even if only for a visit. Just for a moment, to know they are ok. That's what moms and dads want. And our Heavenly Father never pushes Himself on us, He is always waiting and watching for us to call out to Him, to seek Him, to want Him to be first.
Life is hard sometimes. Many times we may feel we are in the swine pit, just getting by. We can have so much more if we just return Home. But it will never be forced on us to return. Our Father is always waiting and watching for us to come home. And when we do, He will celebrate our return with much joy and rejoicing. He rejoices over us - can that not bring a smile to your heart? He loves us so much, He rejoices over us. :-)
No prodigal is ever too far away from the love of the Father (or mother). Why not just try talking things out with Him this morning? Tell Him what's going on in your life and what you desire, what you need. If nothing else, you will feel better, cause you will know that you shared life with Someone who loves you more than you can ever imagine.
Luke 15:17-24 (NIV) "When he came to his senses, he said, 'how many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.'
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."
But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate."
And that's what we do when one of our children come home, we celebrate. And that's what our Heavenly Father does when we return to Him. All of heaven celebrates with Him.
Blessings!
