Are You a December Watermelon?

Don't you just love a ripe, sweet, juicy watermelon on a hot summer day? Living in Georgia, we have TONS of watermelons here in the hot summer months. It is a wonderful thing on the 4th of July, at a cook out, pool party, or any day "just because". I love to cut into the smooth green rind, hearing the thick striped skin split and crack as my knife goes in. A few wiggles of the blade and the melon bursts in half, exposing the beautiful red flesh inside and spilling it's sweet sticky juice onto the table. A few more hacks with the knife and it is in wedges or cut up into chunks, ready for eating. Nothing beats a happy child eagerly sinking their teeth into this sweet, delicious summertime staple.

So what happens when you crave that delicious goodness in December? A quick trip to most grocery stores shows you that watermelons are usually available year round, shipped in from somewhere on the other side of the world, usually teeny in size and big in price. Sometimes I can't help myself. I break down and buy the melon (don't even bother thumping or sniffing or tapping it, it won't tell you anything at this point) and take it home. Drooling with anticipation, I cut into it. A stab with the knife reveals no splitting rind, and I have to saw the fruit in half. The inside is a disappointing pale pink, with flat, sickly looking white seeds. I hack it into wedges or pieces, throw on some salt, and take a bite.

HUGE disappointment.  I knew better than to think I could experience that sweet perfection of a ripe south Georgia watermelon in DECEMBER!!!!!

Well, this little analogy also applies to our Christian life. You see, we all have seasons in our walk. Some seasons last a while, while others are very brief. God moves us from season to season, using us for His glory and purpose.

So what happens when we follow God's command and we do what He tells us, say teaching a class or serving on a ministry team, and we fall into a comfort zone so that we decide to stay there no matter what? God will tell us to move when He is ready, but often we resist out of that security in a certain job or position. Eventually, we begin to grow tired and stale in this capacity, and in time even grow resentful and grouchy. Finally, when we are so miserable we can't stand it, we step down or in some cases get "moved" because we have lost our effectiveness and the Kingdom begins to suffer for it.

We become a December watermelon.
Tasteless, unsatisfying, and bitter.


But when we serve a season at our fullest, listening for God's direction and urgings, we move from season to season, being satisfied in our work and effective in our mission for Christ. It's no different that pumpkins in October, strawberries in March, citrus fruit in December, and even a watermelon in July. We are best in our appointed season, and no other time.

Watermelon photo from Google images

I am at the three week mark!

Well, I went for my 3 week  post-surgery check up today. My hemoglobin is up to 11.5 which is a HUGE improvement since I was very anemic due to heavy blood loss before surgery. I am hoping I will have more energy when this is all over! My blood pressure was 126/73. My dr says I am healing well. I still have a little pain off and on, but  mostly just discomfort practically 24/7. My dr says the "zings" I was feeling a few days ago are the nerves inside trying to heal. She says my stitches are doing exactly as they should, some dissolved, some in place still. I can drive now, but cannot lift more than a gallon of milk. That is practically EVERYTHING when you think of it! Laundry basket? Nope. Jug of cat litter? Nope. Bag of trash from kitchen trash can? Nope. Still restrictions of  no vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, stretching, bending or reaching. Because of my hot flashes and crying jaunts I am now the proud owner of Estrogen patches which I sincerely hope help A LOT. Last night I had a hot flash like clockwork every thirty minutes. NO SLEEP at all last night! I really hope this little patch works well, and works quickly.

I am feeling better but still a long way to go! Hope this patch kicks in and works. If I could sleep I would feel a lot better I am sure. This Thursday my DH has to go to Charleston again for work and I got the ok from my dr to ride with him, as long as we stop every hour or so for me to stretch. No shopping or sightseeing this trip, but if I can get by that spice shop I want to get some flavored sugar! The lime flavor sugar was wonderful!  I will sit in the car and my beloved DH will trot in for me I am sure. :)

It's been 2 weeks and 3 days since surgery..........and..........

......... I am very discouraged today. My mom left yesterday to go home since my husband was coming back from work for a week. (He works on a tugboat and is gone 7-10 days and nights, then home 5-7 days and nights) When I walked out of my bedroom yesterday morning, I saw that she had stripped her bed and had her stuff packed. I started crying and I am not sure I have stopped yet. Last night I cried because I had to ask my BFF to sweep my kitchen floor. She was happy to do it of course but I felt like an idiot asking. Today I cried because I walked in my daughters room and her bed was not made. I realized for the past week my mom had made her bed and opened her drapes every morning. The after a shower I cried because none of my granny panties were clean. Not that I wanted to wear the granny panties AT ALL but my bikinis hurt my incisions. So.... I cried because my fat old lady underwear was dirty and also because I had to wear granny panties at all LOL. The I walked in the kitchen and saw that the biscuit pan was on the counter and I cried because my mom had made me homemade biscuits every night while she was here and I loved them so much. I realized I won't get those tonight. My husband just hugs me and laughs, then I cry because he is laughing "at me".  He really isn't, but hey, the sight of a usually (fairly) sane woman crying over her underwear is kinda funny if you think about it. And he is a guy, who is doing the very best he can.

SHEESH! I am a  TRAIN WRECK!

clipart from picturesof.net

Where Have I Been????

For the past two weeks, I have been pretty much confined to the comfort of my bed. Or my recliner. Or my couch.

I had a total hysterectomy, including ovaries, on Feb. 23. I did not make details of this public thru cyberspace for many personal reasons.

Please continue to pray for my recovery. I developed several minor complications after surgery including a severe UTI, an infection at one of my incision sites, and an infection in my throat from the scrapes of the tube.

Thanks so much for praying for me, and I hope to be back to blogging (and life in general) very soon!