In Which I Marvel Since I Cannot Measure

"Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee, which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men."

Psalm 31:19

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While Ink and I were doing some grocery shopping yesterday, we had a close call with another vehicle that decided to run a red light. My hesitation to turn immediately on cue quickly morphed into a prayer of thanks to the LORD for His protection. There are endless mercies that God pours out on us daily that we never even see, and then there are the ones right before us. We have an obligation to Him and to each other to declare those mercies and praise His name. It is shameful for us to let those mercies leave our minds and hearts, never flowing from our tongues or passing through our pens.

And what a difference two weeks makes! I've gone from wondering how my surgery would go and wondering if God would grant me the mercy to make it through. I've prayed much about Elijah's nursing habits and his circumcision and hospital bills and a host of other issues.

And, of course, there was that list of prayer requests I shared with you.

Spurgeon reminds us that sometimes we have no words to express our thanks to God for His goodness to us.

"...when words cannot measure we can marvel; and though we may not calculate with accuracy, we can adore with fervency."

I'm listing His benefits to me here, but I can't take a piece of my heart, this gratitude and awe that brings me to my knees and puts me in tears, and aptly offer it to you. But I pray that today you might be encouraged in even the smallest way, and years from now when my children read this, they'll be reminded of the faithful God we serve and their hearts will be strengthened and enlarged with even more love to their God.

"...there are no measures which can set forth the immeasurable goodness of Jehovah, who is goodness itself. Holy amazement uses interjections where adjectives utterly fail."

~C.H.Spurgeon

Thanks be to God for His infinite mercies:

~As my doctor was leaving the operating room, he let me know that a regular delivery would probably have had complications, since the cord was wrapped around Elijah's neck.

~The anesthesiologist who did my spinal was actually the same one who wouldn't believe I had a spinal headache after delivering Jedediah. This man put us through the wringer just to get a blood patch and only believed me after I had the procedure done. You can imagine my dread when I realized he was the doctor. BUT, this is how God turned this for good. BECAUSE I stumped him with my spinal headache last time, he was very vigilant in doing everything he could to prevent one this time around. His methods worked, and I am SO thankful not to have suffered through one of those headaches again.

~Most of my nurses were wonderful! One especially touched me with her words of praise for our large family when I realized she was battling infertility herself. Her gracious spirit was humbling and unforgettable.

~My doctor released me the next evening. I was so glad to get home so I could actually rest, but I didn't even consider how much that would save us in hospital bills. An unexpected and very welcome mercy!

~Elijah came out screaming, weighing the most of any of our babies at a whopping 7 lbs. 0.6 ounces, and scoring 9 on the Apgar. :)

~My pain management was the best I've had in all of my c-sections.

~My bladder didn't tear!

~I didn't hemorrhage, and I haven't during any of my c-sections. What a great mercy this is!

~For the first time in my history of having babies, my husband and I had a pastor, our very own pastor, to pray with us before I went into the operating room. Do you know what a gift that is? 

~Chick-Fil-A did not run out of waffle fries. :)

~I didn't get sick during the operation, but I did afterwards. HOWEVER, it lasted no where near as long as in the past.

~There were no rude remarks within hearing distance about our family size or the number of c-sections I've had.

~Elijah is healthy. All systems in order and working well. :) How I marvel when just looking at his fingers and toes and ears and his nose, and I consider that God knits all babies together so perfectly, no matter how we define "perfect."

 Emma reads to Elijah, and Elijah listens with great attention. :)

I think "naps with babies" has not been sufficiently recognized as a supreme therapy for whatever ails you.

Perhaps my biggest mercy is God's reminding me through every minute of these days at home what a gift His love and grace are. I would call myself Mama Ogress (feminine form of Ogre)...tears one minute, anger the next, and then much repentance and tears again, and much laughter and joy, too. Oh, it that what schizophrenia is? And I guess Ogres aren't usually repentant. Ok, I'll just say that I'm sure it's been an adventure to live with me and my hormones and my sin nature these past couple of weeks. What a mercy it is to have such a loving and forgiving family!

That God would save and then pour out such endless benefits on a wretch like me...

"Answered prayers are silken bonds which bind our hearts to God."

~C.H.Spurgeon

Much love,

Trisha