Weary Week

This has been a weary week. On Monday afternoon, I fell walking to my car after work. As is usually the case for me, I did not trip. I was walking in a straight line, there were no bumps in the level sidewalk, and I was not doing anything but walking. Still, I managed to do this to my knee, shin and ankle:

As you might imagine, it hurts. It hurt a lot when it happened, and as the surface wounds started to heal, I realized that I must have also twisted my foot more than I thought. Advil, Alleve and Tylenol have been my constant companions, and I am so very thankful for them. But consistent pain has a way of wearing a body out!

Besides my physical pain this week, there has been some level of emotional pain as well. Three deaths, one due to COVID, have touched my life over the last few days. An extended family member, a friend, and a friend of many of my friends all passed away between Sunday and Wednesday. I will not be able to attend gatherings for any of these, just as I have not attended gatherings for most of the recently departed. This is such a hard time, and I am tired. I feel like I should have just stayed in bed all week, or at least taken a nap or two.

In the midst of all this, two quotes have really touched my tired heart:

"It's true that life is hard for everyone." - John C Maxwell (Developing the Leader Within You 2.0)

and 

"Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die." -Isaiah 57:1-2 (Bible, NLT)

That first quote comes on the first page of the 5th chapter, on problem solving. I think that when we are going through hard times, we tend to forget that we are not the only ones facing difficulties. We let pain overwhelm and absorb us, often dismissing friends who may actually understand our pain very well. 

"You can't possibly know how hard this is!," or, "This is harder than anything anyone has ever gone through!," might be what I am thinking, but that is not truth. The truth is that life is hard for everyone. It is harder for some than for others, but no person is exempt from the pain and hardship this life brings. When I accept that everyone has hard times, I increase my capacity for patience, kindness and gentleness...things I strive for always.

The second quote, from the Old Testament, reminds me that death is a good thing "for those who follow godly paths." Of course, I can never know who is truly following, but I do know that God reaches out to each of us until the last breath we draw. He sends reminders that Jesus died to pave the path into an eternity of "joy unspeakable, faith unsinkable, love unstoppable"* that starts today. It is a journey through our present pain so that we may thrive in spite of troubles.

Peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7) comes into play here, too. When I truly understand that my dear friend, my loved one who has passed away, is finally at peace, I can be at peace as well. Knowing that I will one day find my peace, even though today may not be that day, I can rest in that promise and muddle through. Maybe I can even do that with a smile. 

So yes, this has been a weary week. I have cried and felt grumpy. I have also laughed and felt loved,  knowing that I am not alone in this hard life...and knowing that there is more. 

Oh, and there has been knitting (of course!).

Thanks for stopping by, friends. I pray that you are finding a way to thrive, even through the hardness of this life. Now it's time for me (and you?) to Knit in Good Health until next week. 

*From Thrive, by Casting Crowns

Surprise!

As things have loosened up a bit in both our states, the kids planned a surprise visit to see us! So this weekend, I am spending more time with these girls, and notasmuch time blogging (or anything else)!

Thanks for understanding, and I am sure I will be back with a vengeance (and all the words) next Saturday...but for now, it's snuggle time!

Have a good weekend, wear your mask in public (now mandated in Ohio), and Knit in Good Health at every opportunity!

What Are You Wearing?

I usually try to keep my nose clean, but today I'll just keep it covered.

Face masks. Do you wear them in public? I generally have for the past few months, and as of yesterday, they are required where I live. I'm in a Level 3 county now.

There is so much research about face masks and the general public, and let’s face it, most of us are not wearing our masks the way we would if we could see the zombie spores in the air around us. But our aim in wearing a mask is not to avoid zombie spores. Our aim at this time is to avoid spreading a germ we cannot see, feel or smell, even if we have it.

I wear a mask to protect you from my germs, even though I do not feel sick. I know that my mask does not protect me from your germs, but science tells us that if we both wear masks covering mouth and nose, fewer germs are out there. I wear a mask in the indoor spaces where I will likely encounter other people, whether they wear masks or not. It is not any kind of statement, it is one person caring about other people and not wanting to share droplets.

Wearing a mask is not enjoyable, but I believe that it shows love, though it may make you or me uncomfortable. Every minute that I wear a mask, I fight my glasses fogging up and I feel a little like I am stuck inside my own face. It causes me anxiety to have the fog impeding my vision; to feel my own hot breath coming back into my nose; to feel like I have to try harder for oxygen...and in all honesty, I whip that puppy off as fast as I can once I get outside and away from people again.

I guess, for me, wearing a mask is a little like sharing my faith. 

• Both are hard to do sometimes, but totally within my power.
• I don't have to do either, but I believe that others may benefit when I do, even if it makes one or both of us uncomfortable for a time.
• I do both to help myself follow the "love one another" commandment, like Jesus asked his followers to do. (John 13:34)

The church I attend will start meeting in person soon, and when you see me indoors there, I will be wearing a mask. Whether you agree with me on the mask issue (or any issue) or not, I hope that we can continue to love one another and live in peace together.

Wherever you are in this debate, I pray that you are well, and that you are feeling the love of the Lord in your life. If you are not, and you are looking for more information, just ask me. I’ll be glad to chat and/or to point you in the direction of a Bible-based church service you can check out this Sunday. Here’s a link to the online sermon video premiere I will be hosting for the Methodist church I work with: 2020-07-12 Treasures and Pearls

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Yankee Doodle Cat

My cat's a Yankee Doodle Dandy, though she really doesn't care!

She doesn't long for cake or ice cream...she just wants me out of her hair!

I keep putting knitting on her, and she wishes I would not...

Pretty Knitty knit a gnome and put it on her caaa-at--

Now she might kill me in my sleep!

Hmmm...I am not a songwriter, that's for sure. I'm just a knitter who uses her cats as photoprops, whether they like it or not, even on their birthdays. Poor kitties!

Happy birthday White Cat and America, and Happy 4th of July to the rest of you! 

Be safe, have fun and Knit in Good Health!