Antonyms

Packing: my least favorite thing about moving.

Decorating: my dad's least favorite part of Christmas.

All of this is happening this week.

My sixth graders have been studying antonyms this semester and I can definitely say that my life right now is a giant antonym. Everything is so opposite than what it is supposed to be. Instead of unpacking box after box and decorating the house, I am putting my entire life into boxes.

And if that wasn't enough, I will be having my surgery two days after we close on the house, meaning I will not get to move any of the boxes, furniture, or other items in our house. I have to rely on my family and friends to help.

Christmas in America is all about the stuff: how much more you have than your neighbor, and how much better the gifts and decorations are than last year. Every commercial, every TV show and movie all focus on this drive for being better. But as we all know, this isn't what Christmas is about.

While boxing things up today, I was able to take a brief inventory of all the material goods God has blessed my husband and I with. It was a very sobering experience.

This Christmas season, take inventory of your blessings and count the ways God has blessed you.

Christmas Joy

With life being so chaotic due to my upcoming surgery and buying a new house, I have somehow regained time to write.

On December 16th, Kevin and I will officially have a new home! I am so excited to be moving into a much larger abode than the tiny trailer we have now. Even though it is still a trailer, the +2,000 square footage makes up for it! I will be posting updates on moving as they happen (with pictures, of course).

Yesterday was my pre-operational exam, so I have a clear idea of what will be occurring during my 3 hour surgery. It isn't as simple as I thought it would be, but I know that when I wake up, everything will be fixed and I can finally gain my life back.

The only problem: it is two days after we close on the house, and exactly a week before Christmas.

God gives good gifts. We all know and believe this simple truth. What we don't understand is that it isn't always in the way we expect them. The picturesque example of this is the birth of Jesus.

Mary was a virgin, unwed and untouched. Back then, women were not allowed to be in the same room as men unless there was a good enough reason. Virgins were as common then as cell phones are now. Yet, the Bible still makes a big deal of detailing the fact that Mary was a virgin. Why? Because if it wasn't, the birth of Jesus could have been viewed as a scandalous affair that caused the conception. However, God performed a miracle by breathing life into the womb of an untouched woman.

Although my situation is nowhere near as great of a miracle as that of Jesus' birth, God has still given me a miraculous gift: the gift of hope. I have been bitter for so long as I have lived my life in pain. With this doctor, I have gained back the idea that one day I will be able to sit and exercise and travel without hurting. Soon I can say that the miracle was God healing me through the hands of my doctor.

The other miracle is that we have found a house large enough so that when I am healed, we can have children. We can also live in a home that is (in my opinion) beautiful and one I will be satisfied in for years.

This Christmas, reflect on the miracles in your life, reader. No matter how big or small they may seem, a miracle is still a miracle, and miracles should always be viewed as a joyful blessing.

Life lately

Now that life has returned to normal after being gone on Thanksgiving break, I have some wonderful news. My husband and I have been looking at houses and have not only found a gem, but we are closing in a week! I am so excited to be moving to a larger house that is not on a dirt road. We have already had to replace the struts on my car because of the road conditions.

With my surgery and Christmas on the horizon, things will not be normal for long. Thursday is my pre-op so that means traveling a couple hours to Augusta. Today I have a phone conference with my anesthesiologist so luckily that means one less trip!

I pray that you will stay with me, reader, even though I have not produced any interesting posts lately. Practice patience and understanding as my life goes through major changes.

Seeking some advice

With the weather getting cooler, my back and legs are responding in the only way they know - pain and agony. Word of caution to all: never have surgery!

I am looking for some home remedies and massage tips for nerve damaged areas, but I am coming up with zip. Anyone out there with a remedy for sore muscles, achy joints, and post-surgery tips on regaining nerve function PLEASE OH PLEASE help me out! Comment or email, I am not picky. I just need some relief that doesn't involve taking pain relievers.

Thanks in advance!