Focus

This Sunday Pastor Bob started his message with the clip from Men in
Black where Will Smith shoots the cardboard girl rather than the
monsters because he could see the big picture. The message was on
focus, focus on God.

when ever anything big has happened in my life I have always been
overwhelmed with peace. If you were around when I moved to the US,
got married (most of the time!) and had Emma's diagnosis, I was
uncharacteristically calm.

You see I'm a realist (aka pessimist!). I am the one who foresees
problems with new projects or finds the flaws in plans. I don't like
it, but that's how I'm wired! It works out well when I try to explain
what it means when God lives in you and through you - it's when I
submit to him that the peace comes over me!

Great, right?

Yes, but there are still some difficulties when it comes to focusing
on God over the little things! I can almost relax about Emma's health
and I have much confidence that she will be well and we will be able
to handle whatever we discover next, with God's help.

I'm talking about the small things, like when your driven to tears
because you can't find something, or like yesterday when my car alarm
went off and I couldn't drive it - for no reason!! (When Scott got
home he had no problem with it!!)

The mastitis (did I tell you it is now double mastitits!!) is kind of
in the middle. It's bad - the nurses were in shock that I was as
cheery as normal once they saw it! However it's getting better
slowly. On the other hand my milk production is low and that concerns
me! Don't worry? Well, I'm working on that!

And now our internet is down! So I have asked a faithful friend to
post this for me!!

So, how can I regain my focus on God, to reveal just how small each of
these things are in the current scheme of things? Well, you just
helped! Verbalising (or writing) them is the best way to gain
perspective and regain the priorities! Sure, I may sound crazy for a
minute but if I were to tell you that nothing bothered me and I was
cool as a cucumber right now you'd either call me a liar or assume I
was in denial!!

Just to confirm, there is plenty that gets under my skin, as I'm sure
you get too. The good news is it doesn't have to stay there!! Get it
out and let it go. Laughter really is the best medicine for a heavy
heart, and when you can laugh at yourself you can't take yourself to
seriously.

And now for the real reason you logged on - Emma is doing well. The
surgeon is happy with her progress and they are slowly weaning her off
the ventilator. She will be weaned of the pain meds today and once
comfortable and the bowels show signs of recovery they may start to
feed her. Your prayers are always appreciated and we are thankful
that God is healing her.

Also, thanks to Meredith for the delicious soup!! A number of people
have offered to cook for us, and we would really appreciate it! We
both had McDonalds twice yesterday, so something we can heat in a
microwave at the hospital is awesome. Feel free to email me if you
have any spare!!