Patience

September 30, 2013

Dear Readers,

Good morning, Readers!  It's a beautiful Autumn day in North Central Texas.  The recent rains have revived my gardens and the roses and mums are heavily pregnant with buds.  I am like an expectant mother waiting for that burst of new life.

Last year, Michael and I were searching for an antique iron headboard for the bed in the cottage.  I found a new one BUT even at a discount it was too pricey.  The salesman kept telling me what a great iron bed it was and I agreed ~ it was perfect.  Something inside me of me said no, not now, and I left without it.  Since then, I have looked and looked never finding anything that came close to that little jewel. A couple weeks ago, I asked Michael if we could go to Waco for one more try.  We checked out several furniture stores then headed back to where I had seen my favorite.

"The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter." 

~Paulo Coelho

I made my way to the back of the store and there in the far corner was the headboard I had seen a year ago.  The tag had faded and the price lowered twice.  I touched  the headboard and quickly the clerk responded: "If you would take this headboard, I could offer you a big discount ~ we've had it a very long time."  I bid, she accepted and I told Michael to take it to the car before she changed her mind.  I couldn't believe my good fortune.  I got a wonderful Charles P Rogers iron headboard at a garage sale price.

“He that can have patience can have what he will.”

 ~ Benjamin Franklin

By nature, I am not a patient person.  When I decide to do something, it gets done.  When I undertake a task, I work non-stop to finish my project. Not only do I want what I want NOW, I also want it done to perfection.  I want to be the best and am willing to put in the work and time to learn.  My dedication and work ethic has served me well in life.  As the years pass, I find myself in a different season which has meant change.  Life is not always what we think it will be.  Carpe' Diem has become my motto mostly because I realize the value of my today rather than putting off until tomorrow.

When I had my first back surgery in 2004, I had to lay on my back for six weeks to heal. Believe me, my Energizer Bunny nature was challenged.  I had to make a decision - do what I was asked to do or get up and risk undoing what took hours for two surgeons to repair.  I watched TV, I read books, I slept, I prayed, and I began to realize that when I healed, I needed to take more time to savor instead of always devouring.  God was teaching me patience.

"Be still, and know that I am God..." ~Psalm 46:10

The degeneration in my back was slowed but the pain in my cervical spine increased and the bones in my feet were rubbing on each other making walking nearly impossible.  I was being slowed down against my will and I went through the grief process as I began to lose my youthful strength and energy.  I had 6 foot surgeries followed by more lumbar and cervical spine surgeries.  The physical trauma of so many surgeries brought on a new malady ... Fibromyalgia.  My body was screaming.  Life as I knew it was gone and I mourned that life pushing myself harder and harder until I wore myself out.

"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are."

~Max DePree

The good news?  In all my trials, my faith never wavered and I found myself curling up in the Lord's lap.  He was a great healer and counselor and I was blessed with a new kind of life.  I'm still adjusting and tweaking my activities realizing that if I am not careful, I will fall back into the grief process of wanting my old life.

Michael asked me why I hadn't written a blog in awhile and I snapped back, "If I don't have anything positive and nice to say, I'd rather not write."  That was an aha moment for me ... I was retreating to a place of darkness rather than patiently expecting good.  My Monday needed to be different.

Maybe you're like me, you had a busy life and healthy body then life threw you some curve balls.  How're you dealing with those challenges?  Are you moving forward or are you stuck in the grief process?  I believe that as long as I have breath, God has a purpose for me and I believe He does for you too.  I chose joy this morning and it has made for a brighter day.

Always remember you are loved and prayed for ... YA YOU!!

Miss Dottie

PS   John Wodden has said, "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." I like that because there are new windows and doors that need opening!  I can still "do," I just need to do differently.