Reaching 42!

I am celebrating today, quietly at the moment because I am at work. Today is my 42nd birthday and I made it. Each year past 39 is a gift because of surviving heart disease and overcoming a family tradition of dying in the 40's.

Two weeks ago I helped my daughter clean a big house that I used to work in every Saturday. In the past all the vacuuming, scrubbing and stair climbing would reduce me to a puddle of sweat. I did not realize it until the end of the night, but I was not even winded by all that I did, no sweat either. What a joy to know that I was healthier as compared to 3 years ago!! And the next day, I was invigorated, not wiped out by working until 11PM!

I was asked yesterday about my stomach and how it now works. So, I am adding a diagram of what the anatomy of a gastric bypass stomach looks like. It was noticed how little I ate for Easter dinner. The best part of the dinner for me was lentil salad. Beans are my friends lately. They have everything I need: protein, carbs, fiber and soothing to my stomach, not overwhelming.

This Easter was the best one I have had since coming to Christ. I attended a Palm Sunday service, a Good Friday service and then 2 services yesterday. Good Friday was amazing. Quite, somber, dark, and real, causing me to consider the impact of the cross and the weight of it and of my sin. Then I watched the Passion on Saturday, which is so convicting and graphic, but still not as graphic as the truth of what Jesus went through. And scientifically he should have died in the scourging but God allowed him to suffer so much more than a normal human body would have. He allowed himself to outwardly show the effect of our sin and what He bodily took on for us. I was so humbled to a new depth. My favorite part is the love that Mary and Mary Magdalen show when they use the linen cloths given to them by Pilot's wife to mop up Jesus' blood. They treated it as so valuable, because it is, and it was such an act of humility and love for our Lord. Then a sweet sermon at church and a joyful family time both at church and at our Pastor's home. A dear sister in the Lord came to visit me and it was such a blessing. I did not know how much I had missed seeing her beautiful face! Then I went to an evening service that was a massive rejoicing party. Several people came to the Lord right there and I witnessed about 50 people baptized. Some came to Christ and were baptized on the spot. The one that hit me was a young boy about 8 or 9 who was crying openly and it was clearly that his soft heart had been touched and he was convicted and ready. The whole place cheered loudly when he came out of the water!

Praise the Lord. My grave clothes (fat) are outwardly coming off, and like Lazarus, I needed Jesus' to help take them off. I am not as emotionally numb as I was and because of that Jesus is reaching deeper into my life, because He made it so I can let Him. I asked Him for this long ago. I prayed: "Jesus, please help me to lose the weight forever so I am no longer hindered and I can do Your will."