20 minutes at a time

Yesterday I lived my life 20 minutes at a time. Running watch and all. Reset every 20 minutes.

It's amazing what you can accomplish in 20 minute blocks:

Laundry loads shifted out and folded

Learned a little about Google wave (still have lots to learn)

Kitchen cleaned up

Conversations on specific topics

Refrigerator in the laundry room cleaned (like each shelve taken out and washed!)

And several other things....

All of this was because Malone had all four of his wisdom teeth out and we were advised ice on/ice off every 20 minutes. So also in there were times of trying to find something cold he could eat and get him to take his pain medicine and antibiotic. He was a trooper. He didn't sleep all day which surprised me. I thought I would have to wake him up but he was up. Fortunately, he slept all night and is still asleep. I did wake him enough at 3 am to give him more pain meds.

One conversation he and I had was that pain is a gift. He said that. But we also talked about how no one really wants that gift. As I read Facebook updates and Twitter updates I see so many needs and concerns and hurts and I realize again and again that there is a LOT of pain in our world. Physical, mental, emotional, relational, etc.

But pain is what drives us to the end of ourselves and to the throne of Grace where only the Great Physician can take the mess of us and heal and cure and forgive. But it takes work on our part too. Surrender work and turning work and choosing work.

For Malone today will be a day of work and he hopes of more food. He's looking forward to football on TV, but not all the food commercials!