Day 29 – Friday (9/21/18)

Health update:  Still Trucking.  Still Waiting.  I had my “post-op” appointment today.  Good news!  The incision is healing very nicely.  That was about all I got out of the appointment…  Stanford still has the biopsy.  Results are still not determined yet.  They will call me whenever the results are available.  Not what I was hoping for, but again, God has a plan, and everything in His timing.

Thought of the day:  Being intentional

You are walking down the hall at work.  A colleague is approaching.  You say “Hey, how are you doing today?”  They say, “Fine.  And you?”  You say, “Fine,” and you keep walking.

How many times has that scenario played out for you?  How many times are you hoping that is all they will say?  Do you get a pit in your stomach when instead of answering “fine”, they actually say “not so good, let me tell you what happened to me this weekend?” … and you suddenly realize that you are about to be “roped” into a 10 minute conversation?  They poor out their soul to you about some trial they are experiencing, and at the end of the conversation you never wanted to have to begin with, you say, “I’ll be praying for you,” but you walk away and never do?

Have you ever ran into a friend from you past, and you have a quick conversation, and say “hey, we need to go out to lunch sometime and catch up?”  You both agree… but the lunch never happens?  The moment you walk away, life comes back at you and you forget all about it?

Have you ever been talking with your spouse, and you say to each other “We need a date night… we need someone to watch our kids, so we can go out and just enjoy each other again (like it was before kids, haha).  You both agree, but then another month passes, and still no date night.

For my thought of the day, I’m hoping that I’m not the only one that has experienced the above scenarios.  If I am, then at least I have done some self-reflection through this blog today.  I think the key to fixing these scenarios is being intentional.  Do you really mean what you say?  When you tell someone how you are doing, are you really fine?  When you tell someone you will pray for them, do you really mean you will?  When you “allude” to plans, do you really intend to follow through?

One suggestion I have in becoming more intentional is to act immediately.  When you tell someone you will be praying for them, stop right then, and pray with them in the hallway (or wherever).  It will only feel “weird” a few times.  You will get used to it.  I had a lady pray for me right in the middle of a mall.  I promise the people staring are staring because they are curious what is different about us.  Don’t be embarrassed of the God we love.  When you tell someone you would like to have lunch with them to catch up on things, stop right then and schedule it.  When you and your spouse agree you need a date night, call up a baby-sitter and put it on the calendar.  Pick a day, pick a time.  Be intentional.


Dear heavenly Father, please help me to be intentional.  Help my yes to be yes, and my no to be no.  If I tell someone I will pray for them, or I will meet with them, help me to do it or schedule it immediately.  I pray that when someone opens up to me about an issue they are having that I will listen intently, and actually focus on what they are saying.  I continue to pray for the pathologist at Stanford that they are coming to an accurate, timely conclusion.  I’m a little frustrated (not at You, but at the situation) that I’m now heading into another weekend without final answers, but I know that You have a reason.  Thank You for helping me be patient during this time.  Amen.