Monday, May 15, 2017

Life Interrupted



THE ARROW AND THE SONG

"I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of a song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end
I found it again in the heart of a friend."
        --Henry W. Longfellow







The stillness path was opening
before me,
And I thought I understood
the meaning.

Open my heart
Listen for the changes
Walk the new path
And reap the new fruit.









After a busy time with our family all gathering in, I knew I would need to shelter and let the refreshing return. I rested in the beauty of spring, and I waited. . . . and waited some more. . . . But as the Fibro-Flare retreated, an old enemy returned.  The fire of the RA Dragon breathed his heat on my joints again.  When I woke one morning unable to do the simplest tasks, I knew what would be required: a call to the Doctor and the old regimine of prednisone, the most dreaded of my meds, would have to be started. If the inflammation of Rheumatoid Disease is not brought down in time, it spreads to other organs in the body, wreaking havoc on the entire immune system.

Before I made that call, I knew another call needed to be made. A cry to my friends for prayer to ask the Lord for Grace to surrender again. I sent out the texts and I heard back the words, words I had uttered myself so often for each one:

"I am praying for you." 

I held the pills in my palm, the stiffened palm that could not close, and I knew the Lord was near. He orders my days, and He knows the limit of the trial.  As I stared back down the road that I thought I had completed, He whispered words of sweetness in my soul.

"My daughter I see your pain,
and I walk with you still.
There is no turn that surprises Me,
no crooked place I won't make straight.

I am not shocked by the broken ways,
and I do not count your pain 
as failure
in the same way that you do.
I see only LOVE
in your eyes
reflected back from ME
when you gaze 
into My heart.

Just as I carried your burden
all the way to Calvary,
I now carry the trial
as I hold you close.

You are mine
Nothing between us
Look up to My heart
And into My Love."


And I knew the prayers of my friends were being answered as I remembered the Scriptures that were set before me from the online Bible Study offered by my dear friend,
The study for that day, the day of my own lameness returning, was 2 Samuel chapter 9, the story of David the King who brought in a forgotten son. This son was called to the King's table all for the sake of a covenant made between David and the son's father, Jonathan. You can read the story for yourself, and find the beautiful words that paint such a picture of our Lord the King, and the way He calls us to sit at His table, because of the covenant of Love that our Savior made on our behalf.  But the words at the end of the chapter brought the beauty of surrender to my heart once again:


"So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet."   2 Samuel 9:11,13

 

The lameness of Mephibosheth was not a hindrance to the covenant of love being fulfilled for him. The King called him in, and treated him like a son.  


Are you feeling the weight of a lameness 
somewhere in your soul?
We all carry a weight.

Do you have a friend you can call
for prayer when that lameness
seeks to overwhelm you?

I would love to join you in prayer today.
Even when the pain subsides,
we can humbly admit 
to each other
the weakness that lies inside our hearts.

There is a covenant of Love
to be shared
and to be spread abroad.

The King calls us to sit with Him,
to join Him at His table
like a son.  



 


  

24 comments:

  1. I love Longfellow's poems, and that one is a good one. :) I'm sorry you've had a flare up of the RA, but what beautiful words you have penned as a result! I, too, am always touched by the story of Mephibosheth. God is always with us in our pain and all the time. He knows our sorrow, pain and weaknesses and showers us with love and grace.

    Blessings to you, dear sister! xoxo

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    1. Dear Gayl,
      Yes, isn't that poem by Longfellow such a sweet word? I have two volumes of his poetry that were passed down to me from my Great Aunt, and they are such treasures! Thank you for your support and friendship, it means so much to me! I am so grateful for those "showers of love and grace" that our Lord brings to us in all of our days. Blessings to you also, dear sister! xoxo

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  2. I"m so sorry for your pain, Bettie. You are a living example of beauty from ashes.

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    1. Dear Sue, Thank you for your kind thoughts. What a blessing God brings when He turns the ashes of our days into beauty. Only He brings Grace like that! Blessings to you!

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  3. I'm so sorry for the flare-up of pain, Bettie. Yes, that dreaded Prednisone. :( Once in pulmonary rehab, the therapist said that sometimes it is the "lesser of two evils" though. I pray your pain eases and Jesus cradles you in the gentle arms of His love, my friend. Your poem that starts with "My daughter" especially comforts my heart. Thank you! Love and hugs to you!

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    1. Dear Trudy, Yes, my Rheumatologist has said the same thing about prednisone! I'm sorry that you have had to deal with that also. I appreciate your prayers and understanding so much. What a precious Lord we have, who "cradles us in the gentle arms of His love." Love and Hugs to you too, my friend!

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  4. Dear Bettie, I am so sorry that you are suffering. You are such an inspiratation as you walk your journey on broken planet earth with such hope and surreneder. I think of you so often, when I am inclined to complain. Your singlemindedness in your attempts to love God more, give Him the Glory, and make Him known to others is a goal to emulate. Love you! I am so thankful God brought us together!

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    1. Dear Debbie, I appreciate your prayers and support so much! And, I am so grateful for our Lord who waits for my broken surrender to become complete as He pours His love over me. I truly need His help so much, to keep looking up to Him. You are an inspiration to me also! Love and Hugs to you dear sister!

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  5. Oh Bettie..............I send you a gentle hug. xo

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    1. Dear Susan, Thank you! I needed that hug this morning! xo

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  6. Hi Bettie,
    I'm so grateful for the friends who quickly responded in prayer to your request and I hope you are feeling stronger today! Friends who encircle us are priceless but those who are willing to lift us up in prayer and stand alongside us are even more precious. Thinking of you today . . .xoxox

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    1. Dear Valerie,
      Yes, those prayers we share with each other are so very precious! Thank you for your prayers and support, it does mean so much. I am definitely feeling stronger, but the pain is still there, and reminding me of my dependency on our Savior so much! Love and Hugs to you! xo

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  7. Oh, sweet friend! I am SO sorry to know of your suffering! I surely can relate to so much of what you said here, as I battle through a time of suffering, too. I absolutely hate taking the meds, too...I so understand. God bless you and heal you speedily. I am so thankful you have so many who are lifting you up in prayer...I'm praying for you, too, and sending much love and empathy your way.

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    1. Dear Cheryl, Thank you so much for your understanding and caring heart! There is a kinship that those who must walk through suffering can share with each other. And when we see Jesus as our King even in those hard days, then that kinship is truly blessed isn't it? You will be in my prayers also, dear friend! Hugs and Love to you!

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  8. Dear Bettie, I am so sorry for your increasing pain, horrid RA flare up and need to increase unwanted yet necessary meds, but so truly thankful for the beautiful words that have ensued, both from the Lord and from your own tender heart. These lines, especially, give me hope and reassurance:

    "I am not shocked by the broken ways,
    and I do not count your pain
    as failure
    in the same way that you do"

    What a blessing to know God not only walks closely with us, but He also doesn't look upon our pain-wracked, bed-ridden days as wasted ones, like we are tempted to! They're not signs of failure but signals calling us to faith and deeper trust in Him. Thank you for continuing to reveal His beauty in the ashes of your hurt and pain. You are such an inspiration to me! Blessings, love, hugs and prayers to you, sweet friend. xoxo

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    1. Dear Joy,
      I am blessed that you found hope and reassurance here, Dear Friend! Oh how grateful I am that He does call us "to faith and deeper trust in Him," even in these broken places that feel so wasted at times. Isn't our Lord so amazing to bring us His Love right here, in these ashes? You are an inspiration to me also! What a Blessing to be able to pray for each other! Love and Hugs to you also!

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  9. I'm such a fan of Longfellow, so you had me immediately! How grateful I am for this covenant of love and God's continual invitation to join Him at the table. Praying you are comforted in your pain.

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    1. Thank you for your prayers, Crystal! Oh yes, what an amazing Lord we have with His "continual invitation to join Him at the table." And what fun to share a love of Longfellow! I have a treasured set of his poetry passed down to me from my Great Aunt--it's like two gifts in one when I read them! Blessings to you!

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  10. Longfellow's words are beautiful and so are yours. I am praying for you as you face a flare of RA. Thank you for being so encouraging in your words and scripture.

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    1. Dear Mary, Thank you for your kind words and prayers! I am grateful that you found God's encouragement here; His Words are so true for us aren't they? Blessings to you!

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  11. We have so much in common. I too battle with pain from RA and Fibro. Thanks for sharing on the #LMMLinkup this week.

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    1. Dear Mary, Oh I am sorry that you have to deal with these same struggles. But I am glad to find a kindred RA/Fibro Sister! Jesus is so good to bring those connections as we walk HIS path, isn't HE? You will be in my prayers now, too!

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  12. Bettie, what beautiful words the Lord has spoken to you. Isn't it great how He speaks in the time that we need it most? He is our ultimate comforter, I'm praying for you! Also, thanks for sharing Kim Walker Smith's song, I haven't heard that one before and she is one of my favorites. Thanks for linking up with #TuneInThursday this week. See you next time!

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    1. Dear Debbie,
      Yes, isn't this song by Kim Walker Smith so good? I have had it on repeat as I ask the Lord to keep fixing my eyes on HIM and His eternity. He is so good to be our "ultimate comforter!" Thank you so much for your prayers, and for your great community for linking our words together! Blessings to you!

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