Why is it that our week of vacation was the most hectic of all? I can’t believe it’s been a week since the last post. Monday and Tuesday Jeff and I had the stomach flu from you-know-where, so I spent these days on the couch reading hundreds of books to Dutch. He was such a trooper and even got his own diaper and wipes out for me so I didn’t have to get off the couch. Wednesday we packed the car and headed to Bend for Thanksgiving to visit Jeff’s family (which was wonderful, just exhausting for a mommy who’s pregnant and has a toddler who doesn’t sleep when he’s not at home) and then we got back yesterday afternoon, went to my parents’ to watch the Beavers embarass themselves (sorry), then came home and crashed into bed at 8pm. I tried to write a LiveDifferent Challenge while in Bend but somehow the internet burped and WordPress’s automatic save thing apparently didn’t do its trick, so it was lost into cyberspace, which was just as well, because it wasn’t that amazing…Something about the horrors of Black Friday and how telling it is that some poor Wal-Mart worker was trampled to death by frantic 5am shoppers in New York. The next two weeks are Jeff’s last two weeks of school (mine too but I only have one class so I’m already done with all my work), which is exciting, but also means that he has massive amounts of studying and writing to do. Twelve days from now he’ll be a new man! But for right now, he’s just plain tired.
So this morning I woke up and felt like I got hit by a truck–thankful for 10 uninterrupted hours of sleep but feeling like I’d like about 100 more. But after a relatively pain-free morning of diaper, dressing, breakfast, and negotiating which trucks to take with us, Dutch and I arrived and church, he was settled into the nursery, and I was surrounded by God’s people, singing His praises…and times of refreshing came from the presence of the Lord.
How I can’t even convey how God’s presence refreshes my soul! Surrounded by the saints, singing God’s truths at the top of my lungs, everything fell into place. His Word is trustworthy, His promises true, my hope secure. He is never changing, always life-giving, perfect in every way. How great is the goodness of God! I have nothing else to say but that the gospel gives life. The truth of who God is and all that He has done for us is more than enough to strengthen, encourage, sustain, give life. He is so beautiful, captivating, worthy. He is everything.
Everything falls into place in the presence of the Lord. In His presence truly is fullness of joy and at His right hand pleasures forevermore. God is so good, friends. Get with Him and experience rest and perfect peace today. Amen.