Not Just Another Shower

I went to a baby shower today. Yes, I've been to tons of showers, but this one was different. There were so many special details about this shower...handmade favors, ribbons, decorations, flower pens, even pregnant onion plants. I think more love went into this shower than any shower I have ever been to. And today I had an epiphany. The only reason for a shower is to pour out love on the person having a baby (or getting married...whatever the occasion). Sure that doesn't sound like much of an epiphany, but I had never thought of it that way before.

This grand awakening happened when we started playing one of the games. Here's a quick lowdown. Eat baby food, guess what it is. Person with the most right guesses wins! Now I'll be honest. the only reason in the world I will eat baby food is because I LOVE the person who's baby shower I am celebrating. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't come to your shower, and I certainly wouldn't eat baby food!

And then it hit me. Duh! That is the only reason to have a shower of any kind. To show love to the person. I will never look at showers the same way ever again!

A Lesson from Uganda

My heart is always heavy for the country of Uganda after I talk to my sister! I skyped with her last night and began to think about all of the ministry that is going on there and all the Lord is doing. Then this morning I got an email from Danielle Hurley. She is a missionary in Uganda as well. Her email described a Muslim funeral she went to. She described how she was not allowed to sit with the Muslim women because as a non-muslim, she might defile them. And she described how she had to eat a bunch of icky food so that she would not offend the others at the funeral.

For some reason this got me thinking about how this world is not our home. We are just aliens here. We don't fit in. And as much as we try to make it comfortable, the more comfortable it is, the more we forget we don't belong here. So when something "uncomfortable" happens to me, I need to remember that is a kind and gentle reminder from the Lord that I belong with Him in glory, not here on earth.

Waiting...

Sometimes all we can do is sit and wait...

Certain circumstances are out of our control and we simply have to wait. And trust. Trust that God's promises are true and that His strength is sufficient to get us through.

And that's the situation I find myself in today. Waiting...waiting for answers.

When my dad told me he might have prostate cancer, I made a conscious choice not to freak out, not to let fear get a foothold in my heart. I told myself to be logical and to wait until we had some answers.

So I waited...waited for my dad to go to the doctor. And I waited...waited for him to have blood tests. And now I am waiting...waiting for results. Cancer, or not?

God tells me it is good to wait on Him!

Psalm 27:14
Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 33:20
Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 37:7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him

Psalm 37:9
...But those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:34
Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land.

Psalm 39:7
“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.

Psalm 40:1
I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.

Psalm 52:9
I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

Psalm 59:9
I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense.

Psalm 62:1
Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation.

Psalm 62:5
My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.

Psalm 69:3
I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.

Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope.

Psalm 130:6
My soul waits for the Lord; more than those who watch for the morning—Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.