31 days of Self Care – Days 8 thru 10
Day 8 (A fresh start)
My house is still be-decked in Christmas – a week later than usual. Being sick had forced me to put the un-decorating chore on the bottom of my list till I felt better. Today is the day, and I’m actually excited – no, not about putting the Christmas decorations away; I’m looking forward to cleaning afterward and putting my house back together. At the beginning of each year I truly look forward to redecorating the house with my regular accessories, rearranging them as the “spirit moves me” and giving the house a fresh, new look –symbolic of the New Year.
Day 9 (Sharing)
I hadn’t been out of the house for a week, but today – this morning – I spent it with a special group of friends. About 12 of us from my adult Sunday school class gathered at a friend’s home for a special sendoff breakfast for Laura. We’ve all bonded over the years through our Sunday connection and other church-related activities, so saying goodbye to one of us isn’t easy.
In 10 days Laura will leave for a 6-month assignment in Germany. She’s a psychiatric nurse (earned her PhD this past summer) with the Air Force; she recently returned from Iraq. As you might imagine, her job as a nurse is riddled with the pain of war.
Throughout the morning we shared stories and concerns about the world, our families, and our work, and we prayed about Laura’s time in Germany and the family she’ll leave behind (her husband and two boys). We learned more about Laura as she answered our questions about her nursing and Air Force careers. Our connections to each other grew that day, as we gained additional insights into each others’ lives. We’ll surely miss Laura, and we’re proud of her willingness to sacrifice and serve. A part of us will be with her in Germany.
Day 10 (Heart, Mind, Soul)
Today is Sunday (Day 10), a time set aside for worship. I’ve been attending this church with my husband for several years, and we have settled every week in the same seats – the left section several rows from the back, on the aisle. I missed going to church last Sunday, and today my voice still wasn’t strong enough to sing with the Praise Team. Instead, I sat with the congregation and participated in worship from the pews.
We (Ken and I) arrived after the first song and took a seat in the middle section (there were no seats in the left section where we normally sit). At first it seemed odd to be in this there, but as the service progressed, I actually found myself enjoying the service from this new vantage point. Sitting in this new and different section was again symbolic of the New Year. I think the Lord is telling me to open my heart, mind and soul to all that is new and available to me in this New Year.
