Eddie and Martha Marie Smith

So sorry it’s been so long since I last updated all of you.  A lot has been going on, and this site has been difficult to log on to, so that’s not helped either.

I went over a week ago to Atlanta and was completely released by Dr Barrow…he said I was healed and should consider myself a free woman!  It was a great day!!!!  I can not begin to tell you how thankful I was to hear those words…..God definitely worked a miracle!!!  Of course I’m still not up to full energy, and I’m not expecting to for some time, but I’ll get there eventually!!  Thankfully I don’t have many complications from my surgery except getting a little dizzy every now and then…..I do have some weird feelings at times where my incision is healing up as well but the nurse said that was normal and to be expected. 

On the other side of things, I have my gallbladder removed on Wednesday…..I’m not looking forward to it, but so many people have said that it will be a piece of cake compared to brain surgery…..if that’s the case, then I think I can handle that :)  My doctor for this coming surgery said that it will deplete me of energy quite a bit, and it’ll take me a little longer to recover then most, but it shouldn’t be so bad.  For some reason I’m nervous about being put to sleep this time around….I have no idea why though especially considering the fact that I wasn’t nervous at all about that part with the brain surgery.  Would you guys mind praying specifically for me concerning that?  I don’t know if it’s the fact that it’s not been long since my last surgery???  Anyway I would appreciate prayer for that….I just want to have a peace about it, and I’m not there yet….

I’m so thankful for such dear friends as all of you…..honestly Eddie and I and our family wouldn’t have made it through this like we have without all the love and support you’ve given us!   You all have been wonderful!  Thank you for your continued prayers….the last few months have left us worn out in so many ways, and I think we as a family are trying to figure out what normal is for us all over again.  God has and continues to be so incredibly faithful though…..what a friend we have in Jesus!

Ok…so first I have brain surgery…..and what’s next??  My gallbladder has to be removed.  And no…I am NOT kidding.

It’s almost funny….I mean seriously when I found out that I had gallstones and needed to find a surgeon I pretty much laughed.  You either laugh or cry and I’ve had my season of crying!   So….once again…I am asking for prayer.  Thankfully removing a gallbladder is not nearly as complicated as brain surgery so that’s a blessing!  I’m just not looking forward to another surgery….especially less than two to three months since my first surgery.

So…what in the world is God doing???  I’m kind of asking that myself.  I’ve given up trying to understand a long time ago.  I know that His thoughts and ways make so much more sense even if I can’t understand them…so once again I just need to trust Him, and hope and pray and hope and pray some more that this will be the end of my health issues…..I really want to run a triatholon but have no idea how I’m going to do that if I have to keep having things taken out of my body :) 

I guess this is the season of our need of prayers….I hope this season ends soon to be honest.  But…maybe God is trying to develop perseverance in us…or maybe it’s endurance….or maybe He is still trying to get us to the point of completely trusting Him???  Your guess is as good as mine…..I do know that whatever the reason is it is a good one, and He does have our best interest in mind.  Because of that simple fact I’m ok with this new turn of events.  God always knows exactly what He’s doing even if I don’t and that’s all that truly matters.

I read this today and it is so very true!  The Lord has shown this in action to Eddie and I repeatedly these past few months.  I just felt to share for anyone who might need to hear this today….

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all”  Psalm 34:17-19

I’ve had the opportunity to spend this week at the beach, and it has been wonderful!  I agree with the doctor…it makes recovery so much better when you get to spend it at a place like the beach

My incision is looking so much better……and I’m getting more energy every day!  I’m still not 100% and it will probably take a few months before I’m there, but I can tell a HUGE difference between a couple of weeks ago and now! 

God is the Ultimate Healer and I’m so thankful for the work that He’s done in my life.  I had the opportunity to celebrate Selah’s 2 year old birthday with our family in NC…I had the opportunity to watch our kids experience the beach for the first time….I had the opportunity to see the ocean today and celebrate God’s amazing power that He could create something so wonderful…..if God was not the Ultimate Healer I would not have had those opportunities!  Wow..I am blessed….my God is good…ALL THE TIME!

I pray that I will always be thankful for the little things in my life as well as the big.  The next time you see an amazing sunset, or somebody sends you an encouraging card, or you get a hug or kiss from someone you love, or even waking up to enjoy a new day…consider yourself blessed……thank you Jesus for being so good and for blessing us even when we are completely undeserving of it!

It has been an eventful last few days.  Our little boy who had a fever is all better now, and today our little girl caught it.  Never a dull moment in our family :) 

I’ve done a lot of thinking about spiritual warfare lately.  I’m so tired of Satan seeming to get the upper hand so many times and I’ve been asking myself what can I do about it if anything?  I felt God really spoke to me about this….and it definitely humbled me.  The question that I felt He brought to my mind is how much do we as a family pray?  How much do we pray for the protection of our family….emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally?  How important do we view the power of prayer? 

Well, honestly I have to admit that by our actions it doesn’t seem we view it as very important from the lack of time we spend praying.   I have always been very verbal about how I feel about prayer….my mom is a prayer warrior and talk about an awesome example she set for me, but how well have I followed it?  Yes, I pray a lot throughout the day on my own as God brings different things to my mind, but as far as Eddie and I as a couple….well maybe a total of five minutes…maybe.  Yes, I am ashamed to admit this…..it’s great that Eddie and I pray individually, but we have to remember that God said in His word “where two or three are gathered together in His name there will He be also.”   So…prayer is getting ready to take a whole new meaning in our family.  Before when Eddie wanted us to start a time of prayer in our family I willing agreed, but when it was time to do it I would tell him that we could do it after a certain tv show went off or after I called someone back on the phone.  Consequently it never happened most of the time.  It’s hard to admit that but it’s true.  Prayer takes such energy and time that sometimes it’s definitely not the easiest thing to do, but it is or should be PRIORITY!!!  Why, why, why are these things so difficult for me to accept or do???

Ok, so from this point on we WILL have family prayer in our home….and it will be more then puncuation to our day…..it will be priority and nothing…tv, phone, guests in the home..will be more important.  If Eddie and I believe in prayer and its incredible power then why in the world are we not putting it into action in our family????  Do we not realize how much is at stake?!??

So…Lord, please help us to make prayer the number one priority in our home and family!!  I truly belive You are going to begin to do incredible things in and through us if we show You in word and action that You come first in our lives in EVERY aspect!!!  Forgive us for taking so long to put this into action!  And thank you for continuing to work on us….and never losing patience!