Rejoicing

     We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5, New Living Translation)

We can also rejoice because thorn bushes have roses (and sometimes flies).

I had a different message written for today, but when I got up in the night (except I only got up twice instead of three or four times like I’ve been doing for three and half months), the pain in my back was hardly noticeable and the stiffness was tolerable. It took mere seconds to sit up in bed instead of the long minutes it has taken since April.

And I’d had a rough week too. We’d been camping and I thought I could do it, but the pain and stiffness were such that we came home a day early. It just wasn’t any fun; I was disappointed beyond words.

Yet here I am, this morning, rejoicing. I hope that this back issue of mine has reached another plateau, but I know it's not healed yet. Now, the key is to take it easy and not overdo it. There will be other setbacks, I’m sure, mornings when I can’t get out of bed or bend over or get comfortable, but I’ll keep moving forward.

Thank you to all of you for your many prayers as I’ve fought through this.

     And thank You, God, for answering those prayers. I’m sorry for my impatience and for those moments of anger when I felt You had left me. Please, Lord, stay by my side until my back is as good as its going to get, and if it’s never going to be 100% again, let me accept that outcome with serenity. Amen