Seven Days Can Make One Weak (if you don't include Jesus in your day...)

 

by Glynis M. Belec

 
The nonsense started Sunday evening. I reached out to make myself a cup of tea while visiting my darling son's home. We were chatting about this that and the other and I suppose my attention was not on the task at hand. The scalding steam on my forearm bit like a vicious snake. I pulled back. Soon it started to sting...out came the ice. Next day - a nice bossy red area and a tingle to remind me of my foolishness. Couldn't you have warned me, God?
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     Enter Monday. I had a ton to do and a student coming at 9:30. I arrived at my Dad's place around 7:15 am, planning on getting an early start. All began well. I woke Dad up, took out his clothes and readied everything for his morning care. I prepared ingredients for his evening meal - a chicken casserole would be on the menu. I took out the medication drawer, turned the stove to 325° and told Dad not to rush because I had a few things to do out in the garden. After pulling a few weeds and replacing some forlorn plants with some fresh geraniums, I thought I should pop in to see if Dad was up yet. Time was getting on. I opened the door and my mouth dropped. At first I thought it was shredded paper or something. Upon closer inspection I saw that Dad's oven door had exploded/imploded and the glass chards were all over the floor (and the carpet, and the chairs and the inside of the stove...) Dad was still sleeping and heard nothing. I cancelled my student and the day progressed nothing at all like I had planned. Couldn't you have stopped that from happening, God?

     Tuesday morning - 5:30am. I woke up with a wretched pain in my chest that knocked me for a loop. I had to take two shots of nitro before it subsided. But it did subside. My sweetheart brought me a cup of tea. I laid in bed for 20 minutes feeling sorry for myself. Haven't I been through enough, God?

     

Wednesday was a sad day for me. My lovely little Japanese student, Wakana, was in my
classroom for the final time. She and her host family are heading to Nova Scotia for a vacation and then she will be returning to Japan next week. I am going to miss her terribly. Why did you only introduce me to Wakana for such a short time, God?

Thumbs up!

     Thursday I was in a hurry. Haste makes waste 'they' say. I scoffed sensing some impending doom if I didn't put the safety cover on my brand new Pampered Chef slicer. Sure enough...that little voice was one of warning which I chose to ignore. The result? I cut off the tip of my right thumb. I tried to control the bleeding myself but ended up at the local clinic with a thumb bandage the size of a peach. Seriously, God? What would it have taken you to just give me a reminder rather than allowing my foolishness to bleed all over the place. You know I had a ton of things to do.

     Today is Friday. The one hour trip to the dentist for Dad's 10 o'clock appointment this morning should have been uneventful. It was, until the phone call. "Did you forget your Dad's appointment?" Cheryl asked. It was 10:45 and we still had 10k to go. I had written down 11 instead of 10? I was convinced I was told the wrong time, but I had no proof. Knowing my mind these days, I was likely the guilty party. I mumbled my apologies praying we were not going to be moved to another day and listened. God, why couldn't you have prompted the dentist office to call me yesterday to remind me of the appointment time.

Tomorrow is Saturday. Maybe I will stay in bed...


        An attitude of gratitude changes the course of events

•  Thank you Jesus for allowing me to spend time chatting with my son - what's a little red mark?

•      I am grateful that Dad did not get up early on Monday as he usually does. He would have been sitting in his chair close to the stove, having breakfast.

•      I am grateful that I already have an appointment arranged next Monday afternoon with the cardiologist. I am also thankful that I am upright, filled with the joy of Jesus and loving each day without restriction.

•      Thank you that I had the privilege of working with Wakana these past few months. As I worked with her teaching her English, I thought about the wonder of words and the power of 26 letters. I also tried sushi for the first time and loved it!

•      Dad's implants will be fine. After Dad was finished, Dr. K told me to jump in the chair (I had told him about my filling that had fallen out) and he fixed my problem - no charge. I didn't have any freezing and he did an amazing job. What a nice dentist.

•      I'm thinking the sun will shine tomorrow...

1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.