Blessed

I've got a long post ahead. I'll just apologize now!

Have any of you heard about the church who's members are trying to go 21 days without complaining? They all wear bracelets and every time they complain they are supposed to move the bracelet to the other wrist. Go to www.acomplaintfreeworld.org or Oprah.com (she had it on her show yesterday) to read more about it. Our Wednesday night ladies class has been doing this. I admit, I haven't started yet but I really need to. I'm thinking about adding my own twist to it for myself and I'll write about that in a minute. In our class we are studying Numbers. I never in a million years would have thought that I would learn so much from Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers or that it would be so applicable to my own life, but I have and it is. It seems that every week a question is asked that reminds me of our situation with Max. This week one of the questions from our lesson was: What situation are you currently in, where despite God's special blessings for you, Satan has you focusing on the problem? I wish there was some way I could express how this applies in my life today! I know that I have many special blessings in my life. I have clothes, yet I complain that I want to newest, cutest thing (and honestly can't afford it, so I need to just put that out of my head :), I have a house, yet I complain that I want something bigger, with more land, we have food to eat every morning, afternoon, and night, yet I complain that it isn't good enough. Everyday it seems that I can find a way to let Satan have me focus on the negative. Well, the question REALLY hit home with Max.

Special Blessings from God for Max
*Doctors thought there was little possiblity Max would be fine, many prayed about it and HE IS FINE!!!
*Doctors thought he might have a metabolic disease, many prayed about it and HE DOESN'T!!!
*Doctors thought he might have a liver disease, many prayed about it and HE DOESN'T!!!
*He was tested for hereditary disease, many prayed about it, and HE DOESN'T!!!
*He was tested for a disease called homosystanaria (sp??) which would have not been good at all, and he doesn't have it!!!!
*Blood sugar was a major problem for him, many prayed and it got better!!!
*It was believed he might have cerebral palsy, many prayed, and if he does have it at all, it should be mild!!!
*We prayed for the blood in his brain to dissipate and it did!!!
*We prayed for normal, healthy brain tissue, and there is nothing to indicate at this point that it isn't!!!
*He has gone for 7 months with no seizures, even off of his seizure medication!!!
*Max had a low platelet count, many prayed and it went up to normal range.
*Additional brain bleeding could have occured in the first 10 days of life, many prayed and he had no additional bleeding!!!
*Doctors were concerned that Max was lactose intolerant - he isn't!!!
*There were concerns that the lenses in his eyes would not be where they should be, many prayed about the eye exam and his eyes looked great!!!
*He had clotting studies and protein tests done, many prayed that they would come back normal and they did!!!
*He was tested for thyroid problems, many prayed and these came back normal!!!
*Many prayed for surgery to go well and Max far exceeded the post-op goals
*I've prayed daily for nearly 7 months that he would have no problems with his shunt, and while we've had to check it out 2x, there has never been a problem!!!
*He can roll over
*He can sit up
*He can prop up on his arms
*He can eat
*He can hold a sippy cup
*He can laugh
*He can recognize his name
*He can recognize mine and John's voices
*Liane, his physical therapist, told me to baby-proof the house. She thinks he'll be on the move very soon!!!

This list could go on and on. I've looked through past posts and there is so much more that I could list.

Basically, what I am getting at is this, the future for Max did not look so great in the beginning. We were very unsure of how his body would react to the blood in his brain. Plus, there were many other problems that seemed to continuously arise while he was in the hospital. If you look up Grade 4 bleeds and Grade 3 bleeds, which is what he had, the outlook is very bad. Without God, we could be looking at a very different Max right now. We could be dealing with many, many, many health problems, both physical and mental. And the question from our lesson really made me think, am I as grateful for these blessings as I should be or do I let Satan cloud my view. Unfortunately, I have let Satan cloud my view. The things I focus on are: what kind of setbacks will he have when he gets older, will he have to be in special classes, will he walk funny, what types of problems will he encounter with his shunt when he is 5, 10, 25, or 50, why didn't God let that blood disappear just a little quicker so he wouldn't have to have the shunt. Do any of these things matter in the long run? NO! Didn't God tell us, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?...Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." These negative things are the things I focus on and because of that, I am not focusing on the NUMEROUS blessings and I am not finding as much joy in the blessings (like being able to hold a sippy cup) as I should be. So, if you've stuck with me this long, here is what my special twist is going to be with the no-complaint bracelet. Every time I start to worry or focus on the negative, I am going to switch the bracelet to the other arm. My goal is to never have to switch it, I don't have a time limit for myself, and to remember to have a very grateful heart. Yes, I will continue to pray that there will be no deficits, but God would know that was in my heart anyway. But while that is my prayer for Max's future, I hope to daily thank God for where he has brought Max to this day with an extremely grateful heart. My hope is that because of my eyes being opened to how I have been, I will no longer let Satan continue to cloud my view of how much God has blessed my child.

"Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are true and honorable and are right and pure and beautiful and respected. Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you."
Phil. 4:6-9

Dt. 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

Dt. 32:4 He is the rock, His works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Ps. 33:4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does.

Ps. 146:6 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - the LORD, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

Ro. 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

I Thess. 5:24. The one who calls you is faithful...

Heb. 10:16-23 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.