Ah Spring Part II

Well, here we are still recovering from bronchitis, taking medicine, drinking prodigious amounts of fluid and getting plenty of exercise just dealing with that. I don't get terribly sick often, but when I finally do, it tends to be a whopper of a occasion. I've had tonsilitis about 4 times, and was promised after number 3 that the tonsil would come out if I got sick again - but we changed health plans and the new doctors smiled patiently at me and announced, "We don't take tonsils out any more." I have had pneumonia, bronchitis and some bodily breakdowns -like the shoulder that needed rotator cuff repair or the nose job to let me breathe.

And the season I tend to get sick? You guessed it, spring! The weather starts playing roller coaster, and I'm usually out in it doing my work - hot, cold, wet, cold, hot, wet, cold - you get the picture. So once again, this spring I'm dealing with a doozie of a case of bronchitis. I did manage to handle the church service with help last Sunday. But I haven't been in church sense! I'm home taking pills, drinking a fortified cough syrup that reminds me of the Cheracol I took as a child, and running Puffs Plus into the waste can at an alarming rate. Oh, and hacking away.

I'm looking forward to getting back at things, especially since there is work some would probably prefer I not do right now, that needs to be done in order to stay ahead of the curve, as it were.

What has that to do with trying to stay positive this year, you ask? Only that some times our bodies are God's messengers of our need to slow down, take it easy, allow ourselves to breathe and recouperate. They bring this to our attention by simply stopping us for a time. It is important, I believe, for us to reassert the connection between body, mind and spirit - one that demands down time to reflect, rest, play, and pray. God created, according to our scriptures, humans to be co-workers in the care of creation, and GOD RESTED! So what makes us think we can go non-stop non-stop? We need that time, it is part of being human!

So, I will try once again to learn from my body's reminder - take some time for rest and REJUVENATION - renewal, restoration. We need to fuel the fires of our lives with fresh input, be it through intimacy with our chosen partners, new knowledge gained, new friends made, or play time with our children. We need to enjoy life with the abandon of young children, not yet burdened with society's hurry-hurry-push-push attitude. We recently got a picture of our grandson in his new toy, guffawing at the pleasure he was having. As my beloved said, "You have to smile when you see this picture!!" Indeed, as the Creator reminds us in those wee windows called babies and children.

Rest, my friends, you'll enjoy it! Relax, life will go on with or without you! Rejuvenate for yourself and your loved ones! Stop trying to be God and enjoy being a beloved creation that is offered the chance to become more than a creation - a child! Laugh with utter abandonment - it's good for body and soul!!

Peace!