God's Perfect Provision

"I have to have a what?"  Those words flew out of my mouth as the doctor explained to me what was going to take place in the next few weeks.  After all, I had had 3 perfect pregnancies, 3 perfect deliveries, and for crying out loud, I am only 30!  But here I sat, three weeks after I had delivered Sweet Cooper, the sound of his very first cry still fresh in my mind and tugging at my heartstrings. Without even batting her eyes, the doctor told me I needed to have a hysterectomy.  A hysterectomy!  Sure, Cory and I had discussed that Cooper could be our last biological baby.  We know we would like to adopt one day, and so we were considering shifting our focus towards adoption.  But to be told that the very organ that carried your babies was going to be removed, that you would not have the POSSIBILITY to have any more children.....It hits you like a ton of bricks!  As I sat there stunned and overcome with emotion, suddenly God's peace washed over me.  I felt like God was telling me, this was HIS provision for me and our family.  We didn't have to struggle with the questions:  Should we have anymore kids?  When should we shift our focus towards adoption?   How are we going to know? God provided us with all the answers in that single moment.  HE is GOOD and His plan is PERFECT!

So, I covet your prayers.  I will be having surgery next Thursday, November 29. As you know, this surgery will require some recovery time, so I will be out of commission for a bit.  So thankful for my mom and mother-in-law who always come to the rescue.  Some specific requests I have:

1.That the surgery goes seamlessly
2.That I will be still and not push it after surgery (not easy for me to do)
3.That I will keep focused on Christ and his plan through all of this (The emotions sometimes get in the way)
4.That God will continue to provide answers for us considering adoption and His timing.

And with regards to all of this, I wanted to share this that I read in a devotional this morning:

"Give thanks in everything..." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (HCSB), may be one of the most challenging verses in the New Testament, because not everything in life is easy to give thanks for. It's helpful to remember that this was written by a man who had been beaten, stoned, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and more for trying to bring good to people by sharing Christ with them. How do I give thanks in everything? Someone sent me this helpful exercise a few years ago: I am thankful... For the taxes I pay because it means I am employed. For the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have had  more than enough to eat. For the yard that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home. For the parking spot at the far end of the parking lot because it means that I have transportation and that I am able to walk. For my huge electric bill because it means that I have been cool. For the pile of laundry to fold because it means that I have clothes. For exhaustion at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard. For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because is means that I am alive. For the mess to clean up after Thanksgiving dinner because it means I have been surrounded with friends. And if there's nothing else to be thankful for, be thankful for Jesus Christ, and that because of Him, all the frustration WILL one day be out of sight.

I have MUCH to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Eve.  Here are three little people I am especially thankful for!