I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Today's update is more of the same...still enjoying our "steroid honeymoon" and keeping the doctors perplexed that we are doing so well.  Once again, I got to come home with my packed suitcase and settle back in on the couch instead of a hospital room!   Not too much to report, just that we are so thankful.

So, James and I were talking the other day...reflecting on how God has been working in our lives.  It's funny how He is so good at teaching us to rely solely on Him, and not ourselves, and maybe not so funny how we repeatedly need to be taught this important lesson.  A few weeks ago, I came across a Bible passage from Bible Study Fellowship and shared it with James:

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12: ¹¹ ...make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

We thought this was such a perfect passage for our beliefs, and we couldn't believe neither one of us had ever noticed it before.  "This could be another life verse for us," we said.  We take pride in being hard working and self sufficient, and this summarizes it perfectly.  Well, perhaps we were a little too prideful about it.  Two days later we were struck with the shocking news about our baby ( http://bales-blessings.blogspot.com/2012/02/january-18th-2012-our-life-changing-day.htmlJanuary 18, 2012, Our Life Changing Day ), and suddenly we were faced with the realization that we need to be dependent on not only God, but many other people.  My "not be dependent on anybody" quickly turned into being very dependent on family members for basic care of Jeremiah and friends for feeding my family.  This was a hard realization to grasp, but I appreciate such an important lesson.  We DO need each other.  I am just so thankful for all of the people who have shown us so much love and support to help us get through a difficult time.  In the future we plan to step up and pay it forward when we come across friends in need.  I have learned now, more than ever, how important it is to look out for each other.  Thanks, friends!