Immeasurably More!!

Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.  I love this!  I have a fairly extensive imagination and have been known to scheme up a few outrageous ideas or elaborate plans.  Realizing that my God operates on levels that my imagination can't even begin to comprehend is staggering.  His love for me is unconditional, His mercies are new every day and nothing is impossible for Him!  Incredible.  And what does that say about His plan for my life?!  The things I ask Him about or imagine for the future are minuscule; He can do immeasurably more!

Going into a new week I never know what to expect.  Derek has set days for a few of his jobs, but other than that we make our own schedule, taking each day as it comes.  This means that as I reflect on the past week I'm always blown away by all that's happened in our life and the countless ways God has been leading us, teaching us and providing for us.  I didn't have any idea that this week would include a hot chocolate date with sweet friends, more fresh fruit than we could possibly handle or a bonus chance to listen to our baby's heart beat.  Once again, God's ways have proven to be so much higher than mine!

[growing bump!!]

This past week I accompanied Derek to a few of his landscaping jobs.  These particular jobs are my favorite because they come with free access to an impressive variety of fruit trees and whatever the gardens may be producing!  We bring buckets for lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, herbs, etc.  And we load up bags full of lemons, bananas, papayas, pummelos (like a giant grapefruit!), avocados and... MANGOS!  Yes, it's finally the best season of the year and I'm surprised that I haven't gone into a mango-induced coma, yet!  I can't get enough of them!  Derek came home one day last week with an 'early birthday present': his lunch box, packed full of mangos!!  He knows me well :)  Don't worry, we've definitely been sharing our abundance of fruits and veggies.. yes, EVEN the mangos!  If we keep it all to ourselves things will start to rot and a moldy blessing isn't much of a blessing anymore.

 [baby banana & Derek with his machete!]

God used a little time spent at our old hangout, the laundromat, as another reminder of just how blessed we are!  We only frequent this establishment when our comforter needs washing, now- compared to the weekly trips we used to make.  But two hours was all I needed to come to a whole new realization of how AWESOME it is to live in the apartment!  How incredible it is to have a roof over our heads, running water, a toilet, a washing machine..  things that are so easily taken for granted.
The longer I dwell on it the more I realize that this week was packed full of God doing immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine!  A skype date with a sweet friend, a completely unexpected package full of baby things, a jar of homemade jaboticaba jam (made from a grape-like fruit that grows on the bark of the tree!) and finding out that our amazing family members went together and bought us a crib!!  Immeasurably more, everywhere I look.
I spent some time floating in the ocean, feeling gloriously weightless and graceful.. quite a difference from the reality of a huge baby belly and an extremely off kilter center of gravity.  The ocean here is never truly 'cold', but I definitely prefer the perfectly wonderful temperatures that summer brings.  Our little stretch of the Pacific is now a balmy 80* and I love to simply float, forgetting about anything but the exotic fish and brightly colored coral until my body turns into a giant prune.

[33 weeks!!]

Our prenatal class this week was a tour of the hospital!  This definitely elevated our levels of excitement and made us realize how close we're getting!!  Things felt especially real when I volunteered to be the guinea pig for the nurse's demonstration and actually got in the bed and was hooked up to all the monitors, etc.  That's where the bonus chance to hear Baby's heartbeat came in.  Although our doctor appointments are very regular now and we hear that wild, healthy racing on a regular basis, it's still one of my favorite sounds!  After our nurse was done with her presentation she turned around to unhook me and, after a look at the machine, said 'Are you feeling these?'  I started laughing, thinking it was the joke at the end of the speech.  But she was adamant and showed me on the print out where I had gone through four contractions in 15 minutes!!  I hadn't felt a thing, so it was no worries and class progressed as normal but it definitely made for a little excitement among all us first time parents.  'Wait, is she going into labor?!'  'Is the baby coming right now??!'  Nothing like a few Braxton Hicks to liven up the evening :)
God is so incredibly good!!  I've felt Him and seen Him throughout this whole week and I'm SO thankful!  This Sunday at church His presence was especially tangible.  One of those experiences that can't truly be described except for the overwhelming desire to cry and laugh at the same time!  Even though I was terribly hot, I had goosebumps while we worshiped.  The Holy Spirit was so very present and it took my breath away.  I don't always go to church with expectancy like I should.  I don't anticipate all the ways that God can and will move in that time.  When will I learn; He is able to do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine.  

[island beauty]