Conversation.

Know what I've been thinking about all day?  How do I fit my story into a 30-second blurb that I can easily share with other people?  Like, strangers that walk up to me and ask, "So. I just gotta know.  What happened?" or "Oh my!"  or "I'm doing better than you are..."  I keep thinking about how my response to these people.  It's so limited, and it doesn't come near capturing the awesome God that has brought me through so much.  I so long to give him the credit for what happened and what he is continuing to do.  (BTW, today was my first "official" day as a 100% weight bearing woman.  Heh heh...I cheated a little...)  But, I really want people to walk away from me, after listening for 30 seconds or less, thinking about and pondering this God.

I think of this verse:  "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."  Hebrews 10:23-25

Just in general, I want to encourage those around me on a daily basis, and God is showing me that I can do a much better job of this.  The story of the last five months really lends itself to God's grace & to his plan & to his redemption of any situation.  In each conversation with the people I don't know, I really need to speak the words, "Jesus", "grace", and "thankful".  And somehow show that God deserves the credit.  It's tough to do, especially when people think they want to hear the story, but they really don't.  It's weird.  Time becomes limited very quickly.  And it probably doesn't help that I am socially awkward.

As for people that I do know, I continue to be thankful for God's faithfulness towards me (us), and how he continues to teach me (us) what "grace" actually means.  We are to spur one another on regularly, not just when we are in a good mood, or when we have most of the things on our "to-do" list crossed off.  Think about what a spur is.  It's those things that go on cowboy boots.  I just get this image in my head of the many people around me gently clicking their heels into my mind & my heart, and it is such an encouragement.  I need help with the spurage.  Because sometimes my mind just becomes mush. 

Anyway.  Please pray that as God continues to lead me into the paths of so many people, and that I would have clarity and discernment about what to say.  He is writing such a cool story, and I could not be more thankful.  Truly, we have so much hope to profess.