A Proverbs 31 Woman (Week 2 of Study)

I am doing a Proverbs 31 Woman Study and am loving it. Today was the end of week 2 which brought a day of reflection on this weeks' verses. You can check out the study by clicking here.

I thought about my role as a godly wife to my husband. A lot of times, I feel a little ashamed that I don't do many of the normal chores that I should be doing around the house, like cleaning. It is definitely a low point when I can't contribute. I feel so bad when he works so hard. He literally works 6 days a week at our Body Shop, drives 50 miles to get home in L.A. traffic and then proceeds to scrub the toilets and vacuum the bedrooms. He is such an amazing man. Never complains. He says, he'll do it all, as long as he has me and our kids have their mother. He would do anything for me. He reminds me time and time again that if he could he'd gladly exchange our lungs. But things just don't work that way with Pulmonary Hypertension...

And I know God had it all planned out. 

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
    and he receives favor from the Lord. ~Proverbs 18:22

You see, in my endless effort to be a good wife, that Proverbs 31 Woman that King Lemuel's mom talked about, I find ways to compensate. Everything I CAN do, I do. With the kids, laundry folding. And I try my best to always be a beautiful wife inside and out for him. I greet him with a smile. I speak gentle words to him. I lift him up with praises. I try to provide him with a shoulder, one that nobody else can offer him. I am his right hand. 

Her husband can trust her,
    and she will greatly enrich his life. ~Proverbs 31:11

So in some way, I am being a Proverbs 31 Woman. 

Because I know he can trust me. 

Because I know I enrich his life. 

One of the things I love about our relationship is our communication. He tells me everything and anything. He makes it a point to always praise my good efforts. And I certainly make it a point to praise his good works. 

A few years ago, we discovered that both our Love Language is Physical Touch. Which is really funny because we've never been that couple that can't keep their hands off each other. Simple pats and hugs make a BIG difference in a relationship ladies! So don't go a day without giving your husband a nice hug and kiss!

This makes me feel so loved. And even though I can't do a lot of physical cleaning due to this disease, I can do a lot of emotional loving! 

~Life As Lizzy

Mateo 5:8 Puros de Corazón

Mateo 5:8 “ Bienaventurados los de limpio Corazón porque ellos verán a Dios”

Quienes son los puros de Corazón?
He estado pensando en esto por unos pocos días



Me encontré en la oscuridad de la mañana y empecé a pensar en esto.



He establecido una rutina personal, realmente muy hermosa, que es ir al dormitorio de mis niños, uno a la vez, y orar por ellos...



Abrazarlos



Olerlos



Hago esto dos veces por semana, justo antes de irme a trabajar (es el único momento que me levanto a las 4 de la mañana). Ellos se ven tan angelicales en la tranquilad de su sueño. Me encanta . Me recuerdan de Jesús orando temprano en la mañana en el Getsemaní. Y me pregunto, porque estas levantadas tan tempranas traen tanta profundidad al pensamiento? Jesús fue molestado ahí, El sabía lo que estaba viniendo. Y aún así El aceptó la voluntad de Su padre no la suya. Por su voluntad El estaba en armonía con la voluntad de Su padre. Cuando estoy despierta durante estas mañanas, me siento muy conectada con El. Siento como si solo somos El y yo.

Y trato de orar como lo hizo Jesús…para que Su voluntad se haga no la mía.

De regreso en el dormitorio de mis hijos..

Hago esta oración:

Señor, que J y LM te amen a Ti y amen Tu palabra con todo su Corazón,

con su mente y su alma.

Que ellos crezcan siendo un hombre y mujer de Dios. Amen

Me he dado cuenta que no importa que venga en sus caminos, si ellos lo ponen primero a El, si siguen Su voluntad, Su amor, entonces ellos estarán bien. …no importa lo que les pase. Yo creo esto porque ha dado resultado para mi. Cuando recibí la devastante noticia de mi horrible enfermedad algo cambio en mi, y empecé una jornada creyéndole a El. Me di cuenta que Su voluntad debería de hacerse en lugar de la mía. Y créanme grandes cosas ocurrieron desde ese día. Y algo que tengo bien claro es que si creo en El, El nunca me va a dejar sola.

Su voluntad, no la mía, es mi mejor arma

Y luego de leer Mateo 5:8,

Me di cuenta que yo estaba orando por ellos para que sean PUROS DE CORAZON.





Que ellos siempre deseen el Señor con todo su corazón. Que primero lo busquen a El, que busquen Su aprobación en todo lo que hagan. Este verso me recordó de lo que el Señor había puesto en mi corazón. Una oración de paz fue puesta en mi por parte de Dios de algo que había sido sembrado y que ahora estaba brotando en una planta fuerte y saludable.



Es algo tan obvio.



Mis niños esperan esa oración temprana. J se ha dado cuenta que yo hago esto. El me espera cada mañana cuando yo me tengo que levantar temprano a trabajar. La noche anterior el duerme mejor sabiendo que yo estaré ahí en su dormitorio para simplemente orar por el. A veces el me recibe con una sonrisa con los ojos cerrados.

Puros de Corazón. Puros de Corazón, para que ellos vean al Señor.

Y que tanto lo veo al Señor en todo lo que hago. A través de mi día. En el trabajo, en la casa, haciendo limpieza, enseñando, leyendo, yo veo al Señor. Y lo hago muchas veces, y se que El me bendice con pequeños empujoncitos que yo lo describo como besos, los recibo y a cambio le entrego un corazón agradecido.



Puros de Corazón

Y yo conseguiré verle a El

Todos los días.

 
 
~Life As Lizzy, en espanol!

{{Translation into spanish by Karen Valle}}

Deconditioning

Deconditioning - The loss of muscle tone and endurance due to chronic disease, immobility, or loss of function.



Went for a walk a few weeks ago! I can't believe it either. The doctor said I needed to start exercising, walking 20-30 minutes a day. Really? Never thought I'd hear those words. Four years ago, I pulled an oxygen tube around my face in order to walk just ten steps.

So I went for a walk around the park while L was at her Musical Munchkins class. Didn't know what I'd encounter...

I chuckled when the full term pregnant gal walked faster than I...

I had become use to running on the Santa Monica Beach sand almost ten years ago, when I worked there. It was beautiful. The conversations I had with God, were unstoppable, just like my endurance. Unstoppable.

The doctor mentioned this word, 'decondition'. He didn't want my muscles to become deconditioned to doing nothing. I was amazed that day after hearing from him that I have become able to walk again. Walk for the sole purpose of exercise. The Pulmonary Hypertension symptoms have pretty much gone away, thanks to some pretty awesome medications.

And thanks to my God, whom is always faithful.

I thought about that word on my drive home from the doctor's office that afternoon. Something told me that I not only needed to walk for physical endurance, but it was time to halt a common route to spiritual deconditioning. You see, living with a deadly disease, is like constantly being reminded of the things you can't do. After months, years of hearing that dreadful 'you can't', your spirit can become bitter. Ever heard the saying, "If you don't use it, you lose it"? Well, I also need to keep my spirit up to speed on the God exercises. Spiritual Endurance.

I've been walking about three times a week now. Happy to say I am getting faster and faster, I might be able to jog very soon. Wha?

And as I walk, I meditate on so many things. Prayer, scripture, and just simply taking in all the beauty around me. -Yes, even the rollie-pollie's on the side walk. 

I have to admit though, I had become so use to not being active, at all, that part of me was a little scared. I didn't want to get my hopes up. What if I can't walk? What if I start feeling that dreadful elephant-on-my-chest feeling? Noooo! I didn't want to set myself up for failure. So, at first, I procrastinated getting back into walking. Glad I didn't wait too long...

The kids decided to join me this day. 

They slowed me down. -Ahem.

haha!

Getting ready for my morning walk.

Achtung: No make-up!

As you can see, I am in desperate need of new workout clothes. Four years ago, I did away with all my shorts, tanks, and pants. :o) 

But the clothes is the least of my concerns... 

Race to cure PH!

Last week, I received the annual invitation to Taylor's Wish 5K Run/Walk. Taylor was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension and died at 4 1/2 years old. Her parents, created the fundraiser in hopes of raising awareness of the disease so that other families won't suffer the loss of a loved one due to this horrible and mostly unheard of disease. She left a twin sister, Brooke. You can check out her story and donate at www.taylorswish.org

I toyed with the idea of walking with God. It was only between me and God, and then I accidentally mentioned it to my Couple's Home Group, Moment Church Tribe. The girls, jumped on the idea and made the decision that they'd support me and walk with me in honor of Taylor. That was all the encouragement I needed, so we all registered online that night, kids and all. I can't wait! All glory to God!

We will be walking a 5K on June 2 in Orange County! Agh! I can't believe it!

So here I am, gearing up for a race! Who would've thought? Like I said, nothing is impossible for God. Nothing.

~Life As Lizzy

Expect to See Blessings Everyday

⁴⁶ They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity^[j]—

⁴⁷ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.

And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

~Acts 2 46-47

I was reading a daily devotional the other day The Confident Woman by Joyce Meyer... and something struck a cord.

"Resist and refuse to let doubt convince you that good things won't happen to you and your family; aggressively expect good things! Ask God to give you divine supernatural favor and then expect to see it in your life daily." (p.121) She follows with a prayer that I will tell, as I remember it (it is not word for word)...

Expect to see Your blessings poured out to you today.

Makes me take a deep breath.

When I was faced with the news of this illness, I couldn't help but fall into the deep abyss of doubt. I asked Him, if there would ever be any good for me in this life.
I didn't understand what it meant to praise during hardship.
I didn't understand that I'd see His hand like never before.
I didn't understand that I was actually being faced with an opportunity for greatness.
-For an ultimate blessing.
I couldn't see it then,

but I see it now.

I wake up everyday, asking with expectation for His blessings to be poured unto me.

Because He does.

Because He is faithful in doing so.

He has added to my fellowship, like never before.

I implore you, take a deep breath, look at the good.

Sometimes we dwell in the muck of the bad news. We entertain those thoughts in our head. One, two, three, we list all the things that we have going badly for us. We numerate them, caress them and guard a special little corner in  our hearts for that cancer of a feeling. Depression. Resentment. All ugliness that breeds in our hearts, grows with every drip of watering we add to it every day.

We need to stop.

I've learned that what my mind entertains, that is what comes out of my heart. And this is not just positive thinking. Looking at the glass half full. It is more than that.

It is taking every single negative thought captive. Looking at it, recognizing it, and then throwing it away. Trust me, it's not easy. I became use to it. It was my little pet that followed me around throughout my day, unconditionally faithful to me. It took a lot to change my ways.

The first step was recognizing that negative thought. That devil's lie.

Second, was throwing it away. Be done with it. Stop putting yourself down. Stop caressing that evil thought.

Third, believe in the One who gave it all up for you. He is your lawyer. He has taken it all on His shoulders. And He wants to bless you.

He wants to pour out so much goodness on you that you will have nothing else to do but gasp at His grace.

So every time I find myself praying like Jesus did in Gethsemane. The devil will try as hard as he can to put me down. I hear so many lies. So many put downs. He belittles me. He mocks me.

You'll never see this. You'll be dead soon. You can't do this, or that. The list goes on and on...

But I know I have the power to stomp on his head, just like Jesus did on that hill.

Romans 8 says, "No power in the sky above or in the earth below -indeed nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate you from the love of God..." (verse 39).

So when I'm out of breath, feeling the symptoms of this disease. I slow down. Take it in. I think back to the joy and generosity that He's surrounded me with and I praise Him. I choose to believe that He will pour out blessings on me. Right then and there.


He always does.

The blessings not only pour out, but cascades of goodness come over me. I have been able to do things, that I didn't think I could. His blessings never stop.

And He wants to bless you too.





~Life As Lizzy