Jacob's limp.

First I'll give a brief update on my holiday. It was REALLY good. There was ZERO drama with the family, ZERO fights with the little ones (they really did a great job this trip since all their cousins are much older), ZERO tears shed, except listening to my nephew talk about missing his daddy, and ZERO leftovers!!! haha God was faithful once again! As if He could be anything less. I prayed for the holiday to go smoothly, my friends prayed for my mom and I to well...just get along, I prayed for safe travel, I prayed for no drama and He answered!! He is good!

I will just ask that you pray for my sweet nephew J.R. I so often ask for you to pray for Rach but J needs it too. This time of year - especially Thanksgiving - is SOOOOOO hard on him! He always went hunting with his dad and since his death it's just tough. What throws a little salt into this still fresh wound is the fact that his grandfather has a ton of property for J to hunt on but will only allow him to come on HIS terms. Long story. His grandparents on his dad's side aren't Christians and have some "issues" let's just say. So that's a HUGE prayer request too!

So, we're doing this O.T. study and we're on the story of Jacob/Esau/Rachel/Leah/Laban. Don't you know that before I left I did my study that morning and the title was "Healing Broken Relationships". Now, don't think for one minute that wasn't a GOD-thang! I ASSURE you that it most certainly was! He was reminding me to not put that chip on my shoulder and that it's ok to have boundaries in a relationship - even with family - but it's the heart that He's most concerned with. Does He expect us to "take it" from our families? At times, yes, but often it's no. Sometimes it's for their good for us to take it - or for our own good - but sometimes it's ok for us to say "enough" - in LOVE of course and not anger.

So God wrestled with Jacob - changed his name - and left him with a limp. Here's the funny thing. Typically when there's "drama" with my family I get involved even when I'm not the target. I know. Stupid, but sometimes God has to just hit me upside this hard head of mine! Anyway, God wrestled with me all weekend before I left. I argued with Jimmy. I got annoyed with a friend. God was wrestling and I was avoiding. Finally, I wrestled back. (HE WON OF COURSE) Then all weekend I had to limp because of my hip! TRULY! Sometimes my lupus really hits hard when I travel and AS SOON as I got out of the car I started to limp. I limped all weekend and I'm still limping today. Will it be permanent? Only God knows. However, the impact of that limp wasn't lost on me this weekend. The times when comments could've caused me to "go there" my limp got worse! IT'S THE TRUTH!! God just cracks me up ya'll!!

Now please don't think I'm comparing myself to Israel, because by no stretch of the imagination am I, but God (LOVE THAT) did a work in me this weekend and I'm still just in shock from the whole thing. I'm still limping! He's so good ya'll.

Lord God, thank you for my limp. Whether I have it the rest of my days or it goes away this day, I thank you for it! I praise you for changing my name! Change it as often as it needs it!! I love you Abba Daddy and I will praise your name forever!