Ever find yourself just needing a "minute"? You know, - life is overwhelming you and you need to catch your breath - kind of season? Yeah! I'm there!
Amazon has been my best friend lately.
OH - you need to have a shirt that your husband can put on you (has Velcro) after surgery and lo and behold when you do a post shoulder surgery search on google and up pops Amazon :) OH and you're going to need some kind of pants that your husband can put on you after surgery too and then there is the "well-you-can't-tie-your-shoes" so thank goodness your daughter gave you those great slip on house shoes with rubber bottoms last year. (Are you feeling embarrassed for me yet?) 😂
Let's not even talk about how you're going to comb your hair or put it up in clips (go ahead - try putting in a hair clip with one arm) . Seriously thinking about pulling a Julia Roberts from "Steel Magnolias" and getting my hair chopped off!
Wait - did I tell you that there are several pieces of medical equipment that are going to be delivered to the house and you're trying to find out the "footprint" of each one so that you know where to tell the people to set them up? Oh and someone else is going to be the one trained on how to use this stuff because you're the one IN the equipment this time and you have visions of the PASSIVE MOTION CHAIR that you're adorable but very forgetful husband is supposed to put you in and push buttons to move your arm - just, you know, pulling your arm off.
I'm half-way kidding and half-way terrified. Ya'll it could happen!
And you live with the two sweetest people in the world and until surgery they are functioning as "my other arm" but you know that your hubby is working on a project in the studio and you really hate to interrupt him ONE MORE TIME.
But wait, it's holiday season and those calls you needed to make to your kids and other family members that the big thanksgiving get-together won't happen this year haven't been made yet because well - you're trying to catch your breath because you just found out all this stuff!
The bills still need to be paid, laundry still needs to be done, the next book you're writing is way behind schedule and did I mention that there is a family crises or two floating around?
And wait, for those who have little doggies that have to be "walked" three times a day, ours will still have to be walked three times a day and on the third day after surgery, the wonderful guy who normally does all the dog walking is going to be playing a gig and you're stuck on how in the world is that dog going to get walked and fed because you cannot do "anything"?
Anyone - else- ever - find - yourself - in - a - season - of - not - being - able - to - catch - your - breath?
The messages of can you, will you, I need you to, still come in and because you haven't told anyone anything - you feel like the biggest jerk in the world when you have to say no, I can't.
Seriously - one of the hardest things in the world for me to do.
THEN OUT OF THE BLUE - a friend who is going through the most terrifying ordeal in her own life and I KNOW she needs to "catch her breath" sends you a message that says:
"Good morning, sweet friend! You are on my mind this morning. I'm praying for you!"
AMAZING! God - GOD had the audacity to put me on HER heart and she had the wherewithal to send me the message. DID YOU FEEL THE BREEZE? The cool fresh air that gets into your soul straight outta heaven because God knows you can't catch your breath?
And did I mention that another sweet angel friend gave me a simple one page devotion booklet? I normally spend hours studying God's word either from my own personal desire or to prepare for a teaching session or for the current book that I'm writing. Know what? When you can't catch your breath, your can't concentrate. The one page devotion was just right - right now!
Honestly, I'm not wallowing in self-pity, I really am trusting God and am filled with hope and know that all of this is just temporary. I just need a minute.
But, if I had not been spending time with God already, IF I didn't know Him well enough to trust His character, IF I did not have the circle of real sisters in Christ who truly pray for me, the devil could really wreak some havoc in my head right now. Oh he's tried and he'll come around and try some more. God warned us in 1 Peter 5:8 that we need to be of sober spirit, we need to be on the alert because our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.
Here is a little tidbit of information about lions. They are carnivores. No surprises there. But did you know they are obligate carnivores meaning they can't digest vegetation and must eat flesh to survive! I really hope that you get this parallel. I am much more "tasty" to the devil, the lion here, when I am "in the flesh". But when I am Spirit-led, Spirit-filled and abiding in the VINE of Christ, he can't digest me and while he may have taken a bite out of me earlier in a weak moment, because the joy of the Lord is my strength; because I have been meditating on God's word I am like a tree (more vegetation); because I'm not defined by other people's expectations but by who I am IN CHRIST, he had to spit me out. I hope you're laughing with me on this one!
After an epic internal battle this morning, this afternoon I'm sitting here filled with joy and peace. What changed? Nothing. Still have all those alligators that need to be wrestled but I have been led to the rock that is higher than I am. Because God is a very present help in time of trouble; because Jesus told me to come to Him when I was weary and burdened; because the Lord is near and I do not have to be anxious about anything; because I have humbled myself to the mighty hand of God and therefore can cast all my cares on Him because He loves me.
Because God's word is God-breathed and when I read or meditate on what I already know - God breathes on me and I am refreshed. Take a deep breath with me, won't you?
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