Have you ever had one of those weeks you do not have a lot to show for? Well, welcome to my world this week. The first part was fast paced, and now I am at a complete standstill.
I turned 33 on Sunday by helping to lead worship and spending time with my husband. Monday started out in a regular way by meeting with my friend and mentor, Melba. Then, Monday afternoon, I went to my sister’s lakehouse to get some time in prayer, quiet and God’s word. It was not as quiet as I had imagined, but there is nothing that brings my heart to a listening posture faster than sitting next to water and enjoying God’s creation.
Tuesday brought me back to Knoxville to spend time with my girls from SOAR ministries in Lonsdale. We studied about the parable of the sower, and we each planted a pot of pansies. The last week for that ministry is next week, and I will miss those crazy girls:).
Tuesday night, I ate dinner with my mom, and then we trecked to Carson Newman College for a concert within their music department. After my dad died almost 2 1/2 years ago, we established a scholarship within the Music Department in his name for a major in church music. My mom helped to present the scholarship on Tuesday. It was an emotional moment as the head of the department spoke very kindly of my dad. He was a wonderful man, and it is neat to see part of his legacy live on at a place he really loved in a discipline that he really loved. My mom laughed at me as there was a point that we all sang together a hymn, and my voice was more like Barry White than any woman ever. I knew I was in trouble because my throat was scratchy.
The next morning, we reported for my sister’s surgery. My niece told me that I sounded like the grandmother that she never had (i.e. the one that smoked 5 packs a day). On Wednesday night, I was down for the count on the couch with a fever. My life has looked the same since then!
Me and the couch, kleenex, fluids and Lysol disinfectant cloths…that’s my life right now. I have lost the sore throat and have picked up a bad cough, sneezing and runny nose. Though, I have to share a new home remedy to me…Vic’s on your feet with socks on has kept me from coughing all night long. My friend, Teresa, told me about it, and then my mom told me her friend suggested it. I woke up at 4 am coughing again, and reapplied the Vic’s and in 5 minutes, I had stopped coughing!
My sickness complicates life in a new way now because of Greg’s medicine for RA. He took it last night (low dose chemo), so we are wiping down everything. I feel horrible that I am sick and cannot help him in all the ways that are helpful on the day of the week that he feels the worst. I could not go with him to his doctor’s appointment today either–because I did not want to put him or anyone else at risk for infection, etc. So, the rest of my week has pretty much been worthless in being able to help anyone. Every time I get sick, I inevitably think I could do and be a lot more than humanly possible for me, and then I crash and burn. It is always a humbling time to see that I do not have control or possess unlimited energy. Now that I have someone in my household that needs me to be well, I feel even more out of control. Another lesson to depend on God for my every need.
The Art of Coming Alive 
Happy Belated Birthday!!! we are praying for you guys.
I’m so sorry you’ve had such a rough week…Hopefully, by now, you’re much better, but I will pray for that you’ll be back to normal soon! We actually made it to church today, so maybe we’ll see each other soon…miss you!