A good meal goes a long way

It has been a week! I shared yesterday that I have been in a lot of pain and trying to find a way to get relief. I have had pity party after pity party and been beyond frustrated. Today I finally got some relief thanks to calling in a help line with a trusted friend and physical therapist. I had a heartwarming laugh when my mom showed up at the docs after stalking me and being upset that I drove myself (by the way, she insisted she drive me home-always a mom!) The day got even better when I came home to an amazing meal being prepared. I was told to go rest and dinner would be ready at 6. Boy was dinner ready at 6. The challenge I have living in my home is that Rob is such an amazing cook that restaurants pale in comparison. Tonight was supposed to be date night at a steak house, but with my back, we knew it would not be a comfortable night. Instead, Rob brought surf and turf to me at home. It made the perfect ending to a very hard week. Moms are usually the care givers in the family and when mom goes down, it feels like the whole household is disrupted. My suffering means we all suffer-whether I intend it or not. This week, as much as it was painful, was a precious gift of forcing me to pause, to rest, and to allow myself to be cared for versus me caring for others. My family was all hands on deck, and I didn’t have to ask. Instead of getting frustrated at my lack of abilities, I felt surrounded in love. And then 6 o’clock came and I sat down to a spectacular meal and instead of cleaning the kitchen afterwards, I was sent to bed to rest. This week I was surrounded by people valued my well being over self. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4, NIV)