31 weeks today - only 5 more on bed rest!

Today baby Cortopassi is 31 weeks baked, which means I only have 5 more weeks on bed rest, yay! I am very excited to be able to get off bed rest in a little over a month, but that also means that I don't have much time before baby gets here and that freaks me out! Because of bed rest I have been unable to get anything ready for baby - his room is still full of boxes from when we moved into our apartment. It seems like there is still so much to do to prepare for his arrival and I can't do any of it for 5 more weeks, so the last few days have been full of "freak out" moments (especially since he's been consistently measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule). I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens and hope that I have at least a week or two after I get off bed rest to set up for him.

On another note, my attitude towards bed rest has definitely been better lately. It still does get hard at times - like when I want to be able to run to the market for something small and then realize I can't - but, in general, it's been better. I've been encouraged a lot lately while reading the book of Acts and studying the Apostle Paul. I've been thinking about how influential he was for the gospel even when he was locked up in prison for his faith. He was confined (and in far worse circumstances than I am) and yet he was still fully focused on the gospel and ministering to fellow believers. He never looked at being confined in prison as a hindrance to what God had called him to, but rather as another opportunity to serve God in different circumstances.

It's hard sometimes to see how I can serve God while on bed rest, but I think that's because I equate serving to something that requires physical action/activity. I've been learning, though, that there are many different ways to serve God and not all of them require being out and about. I can be praying for different people, encouraging them with words/notes (which I still really need to grow in), studying God's word more deeply, being an example to others in my attitude while in a difficult time and even studying/preparing for my upcoming new ministry of being a mom.

Although I still have a long way to grow in my attitude towards this trial of bed rest, I'm so thankful for what God is showing me and that He is my strength during this time and that His grace is sufficient.

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
-2 Corinthians 12:9