Energized, Equipped, and Minnie May
I went to the Women's Retreat at Fairwood this weekend, and in my testimony during the closing meeting, summing up how I felt at the end of the time, I said "Energized" and "Equipped." Recognizing (for once) the transitory nature of such feelings, I knew the "Energized" part might only last 10 seconds once I set foot inside the door, but I felt confident that the "Equipped" would stick with me even after the energy faded.
Well, it was more than 10 seconds, but not much. Gabriel had come down with something just before the weekend, and although he was feeling well by Sunday, Ian was not. (Just as a side note here, let me share that Shawn wins the Most Heroic Husband award, since he was the one staying home caring for the boys this weekend while I flitted, carefree, in and out of the house). Ian had woken up Sunday morning quite feverish, with a horrible-sounding "bark-y" sort of cough that sounded strangely foreboding to me.
The retreat ended Sunday afternoon, and by that evening it sounded bad enough to be downright alarming, and we called our Nurse-Next-Door, Uncle Lewie, and he came and confirmed my fears: the croup.
I used to think the croup was something that only happened a hundred years ago, like when Minnie May gets it in Anne of Green Gables, and Anne saves the day. But no, it happens here and now, alas, and we spent a nervous, somewhat sleepless night.
Well, I should say, I was tempted to be nervous. But here I was with all this wonderful fresh "equipping," right? Right! So I sat up there in the bedroom with Ian, listening to his restless wheezing, and on the same piece of paper where I'd jotted down my notes from Mary (my local expert on croup, since her boys have all had it)I wrote down some of the truths I'd been reminded of just this weekend, which already felt like years ago.
God loves me.
God loves Ian.
He has love in mind for us: a good plan.
Ian has croup. But maybe everything is going just fine: exactly the way it should be.
I believe it was Love that started this world, and Love is moving now. Love has the final move.
The ways of God are good.
He is Love.
He is Faithful.
And you know what? It's all true. And the nice thing is, well there are a few really. One of the nice things is that I really did feel encouraged and less fearful by reflecting on those truths. But even more, the effect the whole incident had was just the opposite of what I'd expected. Instead of going home from this huge emotional high and being hit--wham!--with this massive energy-draining crisis and losing all my inspiration, it turned out to be the perfect way to take that inspiration and apply it in a real life situation and it ended up cementing it all the more firmly in my mind and heart! Wow! How totally unexpected!
So, tnat night passed without a major crisis, Shawn and I prayed together again on Monday night, which also passed without crisis, and in fact ever since that particular round of prayer there has been a marked improvement. Which is all the more dramatic since I know croup generally is a three-night's plague, and the third night is supposed to be the worst.
God heard our prayers and answered, and I'm thankful. But I'm also thankful that He knew just how to use something that seemed so negative to help get those fresh truths deeper into my heart.
Maybe He actually does know what's going on my life!
Maybe He actually cares!
Maybe He actually does have a good plan for me!
Maybe He actually is faithful.
Maybe He actually is Love.
Well, it was more than 10 seconds, but not much. Gabriel had come down with something just before the weekend, and although he was feeling well by Sunday, Ian was not. (Just as a side note here, let me share that Shawn wins the Most Heroic Husband award, since he was the one staying home caring for the boys this weekend while I flitted, carefree, in and out of the house). Ian had woken up Sunday morning quite feverish, with a horrible-sounding "bark-y" sort of cough that sounded strangely foreboding to me.
The retreat ended Sunday afternoon, and by that evening it sounded bad enough to be downright alarming, and we called our Nurse-Next-Door, Uncle Lewie, and he came and confirmed my fears: the croup.
I used to think the croup was something that only happened a hundred years ago, like when Minnie May gets it in Anne of Green Gables, and Anne saves the day. But no, it happens here and now, alas, and we spent a nervous, somewhat sleepless night.
Well, I should say, I was tempted to be nervous. But here I was with all this wonderful fresh "equipping," right? Right! So I sat up there in the bedroom with Ian, listening to his restless wheezing, and on the same piece of paper where I'd jotted down my notes from Mary (my local expert on croup, since her boys have all had it)I wrote down some of the truths I'd been reminded of just this weekend, which already felt like years ago.
God loves me.
God loves Ian.
He has love in mind for us: a good plan.
Ian has croup. But maybe everything is going just fine: exactly the way it should be.
I believe it was Love that started this world, and Love is moving now. Love has the final move.
The ways of God are good.
He is Love.
He is Faithful.
And you know what? It's all true. And the nice thing is, well there are a few really. One of the nice things is that I really did feel encouraged and less fearful by reflecting on those truths. But even more, the effect the whole incident had was just the opposite of what I'd expected. Instead of going home from this huge emotional high and being hit--wham!--with this massive energy-draining crisis and losing all my inspiration, it turned out to be the perfect way to take that inspiration and apply it in a real life situation and it ended up cementing it all the more firmly in my mind and heart! Wow! How totally unexpected!
So, tnat night passed without a major crisis, Shawn and I prayed together again on Monday night, which also passed without crisis, and in fact ever since that particular round of prayer there has been a marked improvement. Which is all the more dramatic since I know croup generally is a three-night's plague, and the third night is supposed to be the worst.
God heard our prayers and answered, and I'm thankful. But I'm also thankful that He knew just how to use something that seemed so negative to help get those fresh truths deeper into my heart.
Maybe He actually does know what's going on my life!
Maybe He actually cares!
Maybe He actually does have a good plan for me!
Maybe He actually is faithful.
Maybe He actually is Love.
posted by gretchenemma at 8:42 PM
4 Comments:
That croup sure is scary--Ethan had it a couple of times this winter and I thought of good 'ol Anne too! Glad you got some good from the women's time and I liked your practical idea of writing a list like that.
You know what is so funny? I totally never got that whole part where Anne tells Mary Jo (or whatever that maid's name was) to put water on to boil, and says if she had any imagination at all she might have thought of that.
I always wondered what boiling water had to do with anything, and thought maybe they were going to sterilize something. It wasn't until Ian's bout of it that I realized DUH! It's the steam!!!
So now I know...
I can't believe Ethan has had it twice this winter alone! How horrifying! My sincere wish is that it will NEVER rear its ugly head in our home again for any reason! And that goes for your home too!
And Andrea's (since I know you're reading this Andrea, right?).
Oh all right, and anyone else who might be reading this too : )
How terrible for Ian! How terrible for you! I am glad to hear the worst is over. Is his cough gone completly now?
I love your blog! I love the Choosing Home link! I had thought about coming down for the Retreat but Becca was still sick so I stayed home. Did Anne cut up a bunch of onions too or am I thinking of a different movie??
Carrie! Hurray! I'm so glad you're "here" and that you like my blog! Woo-hoo! And I'm so sorry you couldn't make it to the women's retreat, and you definitely have to try again next year. That would be so awesome.
And I hate to tell you, but Ian is *still* coughing, and the older boys too...Sigh. But he is definitely over the croupy part, and now he just has a regular yucky cough, which all three of them seem to be getting over slowly but surely...
And I think the onions must be in some other movie???
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