Have A Mary Day

As the grand opening of WatersEdge Church is quickly approaching, fasting is on many of our minds right now. Early this morning Phil was asking me if I'd be able to fast at some point this week. Thinking through things I wasn't sure it'd be the best idea to do a complete fast, but I could fast from certain things. As I started to contemplate what food I could give up, God spoke clearly into my heart about what today would look like instead. 

"Fast from Martha" is all I heard...

Yikes...it hit me hard and I knew exactly what God was asking me to do, or rather not do today. You see, over the past few days I have been so incredibly busy doing and worrying. Running from store to store purchasing supplies, assembling and storing, labeling and organizing, meeting with people, making phone calls, tracking packages, waiting for deliveries, worrying if that UPS truck will ever show up, planning for every outcome imaginable...just doing, busily, non-stop. Its my default, to a fault. I do things, a lot of them, and crowd myself and my time with the things that aren't nearly as important as time spent sitting at my Lord's feet. 

So today, I fast from Martha and all the doing and worrying. 

I literally stop. 

I wait. 

I pray.

I listen to Him and hear His heart for this ministry. 

I bask in the ability to just be with my God and know that in the midst of my not-doing, He is still in control of every outcome and possibility to come. That it is far more important for me to focus on being with Him than doing for me. Because, after all, He is in control and all of the things that I feel are so important to get done pale in comparison to His ability to simply work through me while I'm willing to lay it all down and focus on Him. 

This is the lesson in ministry that I have had to learn and re-learn more times than I can count. But today I'm so thankful that as the temptation of doing creeps back, I hear the whispers of God to stop and rely on Him during this time instead. 

Pregnancy Update

Y'all, I've only got 5.5 weeks of this pregnancy left! That's a few days short of a one-handed countdown! Yes, assuming little one shows up on time (rolling eyes)...don't you know yet that it's cruel to remind very pregnant ladies that due dates are rarely that accurate?! Contrary to popular belief, we are very aware of this fact, don't need your reminding, and simply choose to remain optimistic! :o)  ...moving along...

This has been such a fun pregnancy week...
Monday I had a great appointment with my midwife. It was such an encouragement to not only be called "cute as a button," but to also have her tell me all of the exams I can decline through the end of this pregnancy. I thought for sure I'd be the one gettin all sassy and sayin no. Such a relief! I'm not the type of person that really needs to know that I'm already 3cm dilated, only to go home and have wishful thinking for the next 5.5 weeks of an impending labor that never actually happens. I'd prefer to remain blissfully unaware of this "progress." I'm also very certain that I'll notice real contractions when this baby is edging towards an actual arrival. Until then, me and Braxton Hicks will continue to get reacquainted every other hour.
Wednesday I had the opportunity to have some maternity photos taken. Something I hadn't planned on doing, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. A photographer I know is looking to expand her maternity clients and needed some uber pregnant ladies to serve as models for future promotional work. I volunteered and am so very glad that I did. I decided at the beginning of this pregnancy that I wasn't going to worry too much about gaining weight and appearance. Don't hear me wrong..I'm not saying I wasn't going to worry about being healthy, just not about what my body would look like pregnant. I have actually enjoyed watching the transformation from pre-pregnancy to now. Yes, I have gained far more weight than I anticipated at the beginning, but I've remained confident that my body is changing in order to sustain the life growing within me. This maternity shoot allowed me to become even more comfortable in the skin that is currently me.
Yesterday I cashed in a birthday gift card for a prenatal massage at a spa that only caters to ladies who are pregnant. The best part? Some fantastically crafted foam pillows that allowed for this stomach-sleeping mama to lay on her belly again! Glooorious! Oh how I have missed being able to sleep on my stomach. I'd pay money just to lay on that table again, even without the massage. But, I must say I'm glad I chose a spa designed for pregnant ladies. I had heard stories of other women who had to lay on their side for the entire massage because those facilities didn't have equipment specially designed for pregger needs. On a side note..I loved the smell of the oil they used so much that I decided not to shower afterwards and just come straight home. Phil proceeded to call me a hippy for the rest of the evening. Hippy or not, I was relaxed and happy...

I've been surprised at how good I'm still feeling. I have more moments of feeling huge than actual days of that feeling. I did break down and buy a few more larger maternity items to last me through the end...worth every penny. Words can't express the level of confidence and comfort that a 34 weeker can gain when she actually has clothes that fit her! I can honestly say that I have really enjoyed being pregnant. But, I'm far more thrilled to be even closer to meeting this sweet little one face to face.