My Belly Hurts

During our New Year's Eve progressive dinner the joke of the night was my belly.  It has caused me lots and lots and lots of pain over the Christmas break.  I am not ignoring it and I have already had a few tests done and have more scheduled soon to try to find out why I am so punky.  I cannot really eat without paying a big price. Prevacid, Mylanta, and grilled chicken are my new BFF's :(

So while the rest of my family slumbers their nights away, I have been up.  I catnap between my stomach pains, while I frantically try to recount what I have eaten that has caused this pain.  I have visited the ER in the last two weeks and really thought I was on my way to see Jesus in real life. 

I am not usually a night owl kind of girl, but I have been lately.  I have spent the time reading a new Wally Lamb book and praying.  I have no real resolutions this year (Mike's did not work out too well for him last year:)  but my plea and prayer is that we as a family will represent Jesus well.  I pray that in our parenting and in our lives we will model doing the right thing and representing Jesus well to those that may not know him very well. 

Representing Jesus is easy when I am writing this blog late at night with my bible open.  Representing Jesus well is easy at church when I am singing my heart out to our Lord or scribbling sermon notes on my bulletin.  Representing Jesus is easy when I am handing out hygiene kits at the food pantry once a month or teaching in our after school program at church.

I pray in 2014 my personal representing Jesus goes beyond a few moments of my weekly life.  I pray that I can model Jesus well for my children when we are running late, behind someone slow, and David forgot his backpack AGAIN.  I pray that when someone hints unkindness towards my hubbie on a public forum that I can truly pray for them and not want to lash back with sass.  I pray that in my marriage I will be a voice of compromise instead of trying to get that last word in. 

Colossions 3:17

And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. 

That is the verse that tells me that whatever I am doing-laundry, teaching, parenting, watching my children pay sports, etc... I am representing Christ. 

That is pretty easy in church or some other mission-minded program.  My challenge for this year is to try to live for Christ when I am in the bleachers at a ballgame and some punk other sweet basketball player pushes my Kyle down.  I hope I represent Jesus well when extended family drama flairs up and I want to be alot a wee bit righteous.  I want to represent Jesus well when I hear someone talk unkindly about my husband.  (Lets face it-it is January and facebook will be buzzing very soon about snow decisions my husband and his team will make).  Those are the moments where our character is tested.  I pray that when it is all said and done my life will point more people towards Jesus than away from Him. 

I pray I represent Him well even when my poor belly hurts:)