I’m not sure everyone is aware –
Around October/November of 2018, I had serious health issues. They slowly came upon me over the process of a year. My breathing was labored, I gained weight, and I struggled to walk even a few feet. The flight of steps to get into my townhome seemed like steep mountains that I had to climb. When sitting I would still breathe heavily.
Close friends urged me to go to the doctor – and even offered (threatened) to come with me. Went for what I think was a blood/oxygen test and the tech person conducting it asked, “How long have you been on oxygen?” I replied, “Never.” She then said, “Well, you will be…your blood is supposed to be bright red – see yours, it’s a dark burgundy.”
My life changed overnight. The next day large oxygen tanks and a condenser to supply oxygen while in the house were delivered. I had the canula up my nose and enough hose to cover my whole house. The constant hum was a reminder of my state. For about two days I sat pitiful and wondered, how will I work? How will I support myself and my household? How will I function limited by the tanks’ time of supply of oxygen? Will I have to haul extra tanks with me everywhere?
Doctors gave no indication that this was just a phase or a pause in my life.
BUT GOD!!!
Believe me – I prayed hard!!! I cried out! After I said all I had to say, I had peace and listened. I listened to the doctors, but I also listened to the still voice within me.
I recovered and was healed. There are days/weeks/months that time in my life is fleeting.
That was 5 years ago, although it seems more like 20…
This week I caught a bad cold and I had to slow down drastically. While slightly working and cruising through files, I glanced at the picture above with ALL THOSE TANKS!! Stopped me in my tracks. It brought back tons of emotions, but also reminded me how fragile health and life is.
I paused.
I hadn’t paused in a while. I’ve been so busy. Busy attempting to figure multiple problems out, solve everything, and be all to everyone else that I haven’t paused in a long time.
I paused to take that experience all in again to be able to “turn” to truly be grateful. I paused to soak that feeling in and then turn to radiate my gratitude back out.
It was at that point I know I needed to write and share.
Rough and difficult times come. We all have snapshots of them – memories. It’s how we view them afterward and how we respond as a result that matters.
Wrote this piece and then found/read Luke 17:11-19 which confirmed my message:
”And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.“
In the midst of “lifeing” and living, pause to think about how God has delivered, healed, or affected you – then turn and be grateful. Scripture states we are to go on/move on but our faith makes us whole.
lifeandgodliness 