Roses are red,
Violets are blue
Sometimes I stink
How about you?
Isn’t THAT a great way to start your week? As I’ve told you before…sometimes really
strange things ramble through my head and often times…they end up on paper (or
in my blog…as in this case)!
I have stunk a lot recently and believe it or not…I couldn’t have
been more thrilled. We have been in Tennessee
for the past week and have spent many hours hiking through the Smokey
Mountains. Since the temperatures have
hovered around 90, I’m quite confident that my odor hasn’t been too pleasant at
the end of each trek.
So why has this made me happy?
Because I have felt very blessed just to be able to do the hiking. As I have written before, I have a condition
called Hypermobility Syndrome, which makes living my life sometimes
difficult. With this syndrome, I do not
have collagen in my body, which is what holds a body together. As a result, my health is a roller coaster
ride at times with good days and bad days…very painful days and then less
painful days…but every day has pain.
The weeks leading up to our vacation were filled with pain that
was unbearable at times. There were days
when it took every ounce of motivation I could muster to get out of bed. This led to times where I was very
discouraged and struggled to keep a positive attitude. I know we are called to have joy even in the
dark valleys…but if I’m honest…I doubt others saw too much joy in me during
that time. I was frustrated because I
felt I was doing everything that was humanly possible to keep my health at its
best…but the pain continued. There was
one night especially when the pain was so severe as I laid in bed, that I just
wanted to give up. I felt like I didn’t
have an ounce of strength left to bear the amount of pain I was enduring at
that time.
The amazing thing to me is that God never leaves me alone in the
valleys. He never gives up on me…never
turns His back on me. He is ever
present…always there to minister to me when the dark clouds surround me. During those days He laid it on the heart of
a dear friend to check on me often just to see how I was doing. Another dear friend, who happens to also be
my chiropractor, not only worked on me numerous times…but also prayed for me
seeking wisdom from above to know how best to treat me. My son-in-law, who is a doctor, took time out
of his busy schedule to check me over and recommended exercises to do that have
helped ease some of the pain. Last, but
definitely not least, my husband was my rock during this time (as he has been
so many times throughout our marriage)…praying for me and doing everything
possible to lessen my pain. These dear
ones were “Jesus with skin on” for me so that I would be reminded that I don’t
walk this road alone.
So to stink at the end of our hikes this past week was such a
pleasant odor to experience. The sweat I
felt on my skin was like showers of blessings on my life. These things represented God’s power working
in me, which allowed me the strength to enjoy God’s creation up close and
personal. Each step on the trails was a
gift…a gift I never want to take for granted.
I don’t know what you are facing today. I’m confident that many of you are going
through much harder days than I will ever see.
You may also be experiencing physical pain that has propelled you into a
dark valley. Maybe it isn’t physical
pain, but mental or emotional pain that has its grip on you and you are ready
to give up. Possibly Satan is attacking
you and you feel like you are in a spiritual battle. I want you to know that God is able to get
you through today. He will never leave
you alone in your valley…He will never give up on you…never turn His back on
you. He is ever present…always there to
minister to you when the dark clouds surround you.
I am praying that today, God will send a “Jesus with skin on”
person to encourage you. I am praying
that you will feel God’s firm grip on your life to empower you and give you the
strength to get through this very moment.
And I am praying that in the days ahead, you might feel His showers of
blessings poured over you in a tangible way that will allow you to feel His
deep love for you. Who knows…it may even
come in the form of sweat and stink…so be watching…we do serve a God with a
sense of humor!
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