he gives strength to the weary

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31

These promises of God delivered through a prophet named Isaiah about 700 years B.C. have helped and continue to help me persevere through some sick days and nights with this little one growing inside of me. I've found out that first trimester sickness can come back with a vengeance in the third! I definitely didn't see it coming, but all I really had to go off of was how Ezekiel treated me from the womb, and as I recall he just inspired the typical hot/tired/huge feelings at this point. I had been asking God to give me more contentment living in our current town, and this may be part of his answer to me, since feeling like the plague has hit me while being responsible for sweet Ezekiel with no family around to lean on has certainly helped me learn the secret of being content in any circumstance. Anyone with parents living in town cannot understand what it means to solely rely on your spouse for survival at times, and may I just add that Mason has truly been my rescuer on several occasions despite his work obligations! So what is the secret of being content in any circumstance? As the apostle Paul says in Philippians 4, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." This comes from a man who was in prison for preaching Christ! My predicaments of late have been nothing so drastic, yet God has still used them to teach me a similar lesson. Last night before bed he also encouraged me with the November 9 entry in Streams in the Desert, an encouraging devotional that I highly recommend. Yesterday's entry was a story about a lovely flower that was beaten and destroyed by a pitiless storm. The gardener was sad that he probably wouldn't see it in its beauty again until next year, but the night passed and when day came, the sun shone on the flower and revived it to a surpassing beauty. This weak little flower, by coming into contact with something so strong as the sun, regained its strength and was fairer than before. I can't express how much I felt like the ruined little flower last night, but this morning I feel like I have come in contact with the sun, which of course means God himself with his healing power. The nature of pregnancy sickness is that it can come and go until delivery, but if the same dramatic events of the last 2 days recur again, I will have under my belt the encouragement of this most recent experience.

Thanksgiving is getting so close, and I'm praying so much that I will be healthy and that the trip will go off without a hitch! We should be spending about 2 weeks at home with our families, and it'll be our last visit there before baby #2 is born. Since we won't be able to travel home for Christmas, it will be a multi-holiday extravaganza for sure. And...tomorrow is Veterans Day, which means that once Mason gets home within a few hours, I will have uninterrupted help for 4 days! So I should be able to handle whatever Ezekiel and baby Koda can throw at me for the rest of the day...