commentary on the benefits of being a couch potato
Apparently when you lay around 24-7 your body gets confused. You start losing muscle mass (I knew those two steroid shots in my hind quarters were a blessing!), you pretty much lose your appetite with little to no energy being expended, you are a sure-fire candidate for heartburn, inevitable plumbing department issues (we'll leave it at that. hello? anyone still reading?), and of course the lack of movement turns you into a zombie.
The last one is a huge blessing and I'll tell you why. . .
When you don't need as much sleep, and you wake up in the middle of the night there isn't a whole lot to do besides count the ceiling tiles (22 whole pieces, 33 partial tiles in my room FYI), and read your scriptures. I prefer the later.
Multiple nights I'll wake up and a long-forgotten story from the scriptures will pop into my head.
These stories have been tender mercies.
Monday was a long day full of reality checks. Meeting with the anesthesiologist to discuss emergency procedures during labor, learning that this little one still only has a 30% chance of intact survival, getting shots and IV's ready for emergency delivery, talking to the doctors about all the complications at this point in the game, really fun stuff.
By nighttime I was spent, but rest eluded me. By 2 a.m. I was up and reading from Mark's account about the Daughter of Jairus. Quick recap.
Jairus, a leader of the synagogue has a daughter at the point of death. In haste, he seeks out the Savior who has been teaching nearby and pleads that He come quickly to attend to his dying child. During their interaction, leaders of the synagogue rush to Jairus's side, informing him that his beloved daughter is gone and there is no point in troubling the Master with it.
Immediately, the Savior turns to Jairus and says, "Be not afraid, only believe."
Jairus has a choice. He can listen to these men telling him the facts--your daughter is dead, it's too late, there is no hope, nothing can be done. Or. . .he can listen to this Jesus of Nazareth telling him, "Don't be scared--hold on to that faith that brought you this far."
We know what Jairus chooses: faith. And in that moment I knew what my choice was too.
I know the facts. I know the odds.
But Heavenly Father has brought us this far and it is not in His program to forsake His children. He has seen me through every other trial--He is not going to fail me now. And He isn't going to fail you. It doesn't matter how big or small your problems are, He is aware of them and the pain of your suffering is graven on the palms of His Son's hands. But sometimes waiting is hard. I found a lot of comfort from the following, given by Sister Ann M. Dibb in Conference:
"As we wait, we may begin to believe that we have been forsaken or that our prayers were not heard or that possibly we are not worthy to have them answered. This is not true. I love King David’s comforting words: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1)."
So I will wait.
Apparently when you lay around 24-7 your body gets confused. You start losing muscle mass (I knew those two steroid shots in my hind quarters were a blessing!), you pretty much lose your appetite with little to no energy being expended, you are a sure-fire candidate for heartburn, inevitable plumbing department issues (we'll leave it at that. hello? anyone still reading?), and of course the lack of movement turns you into a zombie.
The last one is a huge blessing and I'll tell you why. . .
When you don't need as much sleep, and you wake up in the middle of the night there isn't a whole lot to do besides count the ceiling tiles (22 whole pieces, 33 partial tiles in my room FYI), and read your scriptures. I prefer the later.
Multiple nights I'll wake up and a long-forgotten story from the scriptures will pop into my head.
These stories have been tender mercies.
Monday was a long day full of reality checks. Meeting with the anesthesiologist to discuss emergency procedures during labor, learning that this little one still only has a 30% chance of intact survival, getting shots and IV's ready for emergency delivery, talking to the doctors about all the complications at this point in the game, really fun stuff.
By nighttime I was spent, but rest eluded me. By 2 a.m. I was up and reading from Mark's account about the Daughter of Jairus. Quick recap.
Jairus, a leader of the synagogue has a daughter at the point of death. In haste, he seeks out the Savior who has been teaching nearby and pleads that He come quickly to attend to his dying child. During their interaction, leaders of the synagogue rush to Jairus's side, informing him that his beloved daughter is gone and there is no point in troubling the Master with it.
Immediately, the Savior turns to Jairus and says, "Be not afraid, only believe."
Jairus has a choice. He can listen to these men telling him the facts--your daughter is dead, it's too late, there is no hope, nothing can be done. Or. . .he can listen to this Jesus of Nazareth telling him, "Don't be scared--hold on to that faith that brought you this far."
We know what Jairus chooses: faith. And in that moment I knew what my choice was too.
I know the facts. I know the odds.
But Heavenly Father has brought us this far and it is not in His program to forsake His children. He has seen me through every other trial--He is not going to fail me now. And He isn't going to fail you. It doesn't matter how big or small your problems are, He is aware of them and the pain of your suffering is graven on the palms of His Son's hands. But sometimes waiting is hard. I found a lot of comfort from the following, given by Sister Ann M. Dibb in Conference:
"As we wait, we may begin to believe that we have been forsaken or that our prayers were not heard or that possibly we are not worthy to have them answered. This is not true. I love King David’s comforting words: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1)."
So I will wait.
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