Forced Pause

Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash

God sometimes steps in and forces us to pause in our endeavors, often in a manner we’d prefer not to participate in. It can be financial, natural (as in a storm and loss of power) or health. For me, it seems he prefers the latter.

At least this time around, it wasn’t anything serious, just inconvenient.

I discovered a lump on my right thumb. My doctor suspected a cyst and referred me to an orthopedic surgeon.

After palpitating it, he disagreed. “I’m not sure what it is.”

Although cancer of the hand is rare, given my history with the disease, we opted to have the lump surgically removed and biopsied.

What I thought would be a simple minor procedure turned into a full-blown surgery with a gown, cap, IV, and an operating theater. I chose a local rather than anesthesia, but other than being awake, it was not different from the more complicated surgeries I’ve had.

The good news, the lump was just a cyst.

Post-surgery was a surprise. For such a small digit, it sure slowed my activities. I could move the fingers on my right hand, but of course not the bandaged thumb. Turns out that finger is indispensable, difficult to do without. I compensated, like typing with my left hand, but it is a slow process, right along with everything else.

Add in the side effects from the antibiotics and pain meds, and I did little but read, nap, and watch a movie here and there. All because of that one small digit.

While forced to slow down, I realized how wrapped up in activities I had become. My mind had been in a constant whirl of plans and ideas, even to the point of interfering with my concentration with my devotions or prayers. Oops.

Stitches come out tomorrow. The effects of the medications are easing off. I should be able to resume normal activity this next week. If I’m smart, I won’t become so embroiled I lose sight of what is most important. After my experience with the lions, one would think I wouldn’t forget, but I do. The pull of earthly things is strong.

Thank you, Lord, for the reminder to slow down enough to meditate and pray, and not a hurried nod before I dash off to the day’s activities. Thank you for loving me so much. Amen. 

Too Tired to Climb the Mountain

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay 

With the installation of our new HVAC system, reorganizing and purging closets to accommodate less storage, fall yard cleanup, and many other projects, I’ve been too tired and distracted to concentrate on my devotions in the mornings. Guilt piled on more pressure. 

I looked at my hectic life differently after reading this post on Facebook 

 

THIS HIT ME HARD.

Have you ever noticed how in the scriptures men are always going up into the mountains to commune with the Lord?

Yet in the scriptures we hardly ever hear of women going to the mountains. But we know why — right? Because the women were too busy keeping life going. They couldn’t abandon babies, meals, homes, fires, gardens, and a thousand responsibilities to make the climb into the mountains!

I was talking to a friend the other day, saying that as modern woman, I feel like I’m never “free” enough from my responsibilities, never in a quiet enough space I want with God.

Her response floored me, “That is why God comes to women. Men have to climb the mountain to meet God, but God comes to women wherever they are.”

I have been pondering on her words for weeks and have searched my scriptures to see that what she said is true. God does indeed come to women where they are, when they are doing their ordinary, everyday work. He meets them at the wells where they draw water for their families, in their homes, in their kitchens, in their gardens. He comes to them as they sit beside sickbeds, as they give birth, care for the elderly, and perform necessary mourning and burial rites. Even at the empty tomb, Mary was the first to witness Christ’s resurrection. She was there because she was doing the womanly chore of properly preparing Christ’s body for burial. In these seemingly mundane and ordinary tasks, these women of the scriptures found themselves face to face with divinity.

So if — like me — you ever start to bemoan the fact that you don’t have as much time to spend in the mountains with God as you would like. Remember, God comes to women. He knows where we are and the burdens we carry. He sees us, and if we open our eyes and our hearts we will see Him, even in the most ordinary places and in the most ordinary things.

He lives. And he’s using a time such as this to speak to women around the world.

-Heather F

 

Dear Lord, let me remember you hear my prayer, even when my hands and mind are busy with other things. Amen.