I made it. For the first time since I came home from having surgery, I got through the night without a pain pill. It's been 9 days of taking one Percocet around noon and another before bed, and I wasn't sure if I could do it, but something happened that made me want to try going without. It was a card, and while I've treasured all of my cards and everything else sent to me for well wishes, this one truly spoke to me. It came from someone who doesn't really know me, and I don't know much about her either, so I was surprised to see a whole page of hand-written cursive on what would normally be the blank side of the card. The sender said she had heard that I was still in a lot of pain. She mentioned how active I usually am with biking and walking to town, and how difficult this must be.
As I read, my heart was filled with love for this person I hardly know. It had been a particularly painful day, and I felt as though she was told by God to tell me that she's praying for the pain to go away. You see, my surgery had involved the treatment of six Tarlov cysts on my spine. As they were on the ends of nerves, and filled with nerve fibers, they could not be removed, but were emptied, patched with skin, and wrapped. The holes made through my spine to get to the cysts were then patched with plastic. So, yes, I hurt, and hearing that someone was praying for that to stop was better than a pain pill. When I put the card down, tears of relief began to fall. I closed my eyes and asked for the dear writer of this card to be blessed, and suddenly, in my mind I saw a very clear vision of a satellite in space! Then I saw the tiny earth below it with a beam shooting up to the center of the satellite, bending, and dropping back down to Earth. I felt as though God was showing me how the prayers come up to Him and the healing can then come down to me, but it's not automatic. It's like He was saying, "Turn on your receiver, Lynda". So I carefully got down on my knees, and with my hands in the air, told God that I was ready to receive my healing. I then went to bed and slept through the night.
It's been a long time since my last post, but if you're a follower of my blog, well.... then you know that I sometimes get personal. So here it is, better late than never. And would I appreciate your prayers? You bet! Let me know if you need prayers as well, and I'll send them right up.
The picture choice today is, "Beach Arrow", because I'm looking so forward to getting to the beach again!
"When did that happen?", I asked my husband on our walk yesterday. The Dairy Queen in downtown South Haven was closed. It was Monday afternoon, and the lack of light on the "Open" sign could only mean one thing: the end of summer. The city would, once again, belong to its residents.
If you live in a tourist town with destinations such as our beaches of Lake Michigan, then you know what I'm talking about when I say there's a joy that accompanies the sadness of summer's goodbye. We exchange flip-flops for warm cozy slippers, breezy open windows for fireplaces, and baseball for football, but there's nothing like the change we feel on the beaches and in town as they become our own.
During the height of summer, it's exciting to see the oceans of brightly colored umbrellas along the great lake's shoreline, with beautiful golden sand showing through here and there. But now, the scene is different. The sand, with the sun at such a low angle, has a cooler hue to it. If you do see an umbrella, it gives a sense of loneliness. To sit in its shade, you have to park yourself quite a distance away from its pole (unlike the mid-summer protection it gives from straight above), but that's okay. Sitting alone on the beach may seem lonely, and to some extent, it is, but it is so peaceful. Without sensory overload, the brain can take its time studying the movement of the waves, clouds, and seagulls, while the nose just smells the air and water, rather than lotions, food, and sweat.
In town, the anticipation of tourists buying lots of my cards and pictures is always a thrill for me. It is a pleasure to see so many people from all over the world filling our shops and restaurants. The owners of these businesses have reported an especially profitable season, and I'm happy for them. What a blessing!
Now, with tourism almost to a halt, the rewards for staying here, supporting our town through the winter, are beginning. These perks come, mostly, in the form of food, and that's all right with me! From giant spaghetti meals for just $4.99 to half-off pizzas, a South Haven resident (and winter tourists) can eat out every night for way less than the cost of groceries. By bundling up and walking to dinner, we're able to get our exercise, too!
In closing, I bid South Haven's summer season, "Farewell", and may the lovely souls who visited our dear city be blessed until we meet again. I will miss the excitement that is evident on their faces every time they come to town, but there's something to be said for peace and quiet...
The photo above, "Closing Down for the Summer" was taken just a few days ago, at sunset.
There was nothing I could do but sigh as I walked through the open doors of the funeral home. Immediately after, a woman in the fog of mourners informed me that I was not the only one to do that. Before I could reply, "Do what?", she said, "Everyone has walked in with a heavy sigh".
You didn't have to be current with the latest news to see that a hero was being buried today. The firetrucks on both sides of the front entrance, and inside, the color guard standing with the deceased's wife and mother, made it evident that a brave firefighter had died in the line of duty. The tragedy had occurred in the state of Washington, and it had taken a while to bring the fallen hero home to South Haven, Michigan.
The 10:00 to 12:00 visitation was the first of five stages planned to memorialize Rick Wheeler. To give the family and close friends some privacy, a special luncheon will be held at their church before the actual memorial service, followed by the committal. Finally, an open time of light refreshments will be offered, again at the church. I'm writing this before attending the final stages because I am so overwhelmed by the sadness of it all. Rick's mom and grandma are friends of mine. Their pain has struck the very heart of our church. Our whole community has felt the void that comes with the death of a home-town boy.
Looking at the ticking clock, I see that it is almost time to walk to church. We've been asked to keep the parking lot spaces available for those who must drive. Our congregation has really pulled together to organize the best use of time and space by signing up for the many responsibilities of a memorial of this size. Not only are Rick and his family members deeply loved by this community of faith, but others in this town are also touched by his passing. No one wants to see a mother lose her child. No one wants to see a wife lose her husband. We all feel the enormity of losing someone who was trying to keep others safe. We want to make everything better, but we can't, so we'll do our best to help the family get through this day, and we'll pray for God to take the pain away.
Now that I'm home for the night, my mind is drawn back to the love that was shared all through the day. "101 Hearts" seems appropriate.
Watermelon never was one of my favorite foods. Consuming it seemed like a waste of time since its name obviously came from its most apparent property; it's mostly water. When I eat, I want to be nourished, not hydrated; I work on that enough throughout the day. So when I heard that watermelon has more lycopene than raw tomatoes, I did a little research and was surprised at what I found. Would you believe this icon of summer also contains potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins A, C, and B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, selenium, choline, betaine, citrulline, and zinc? If you want to know the benefits derived from these nutrients, vitamins, and minerals (and anything else I may have missed), check out http://livelovefruit.com/8-amazing-health-benefits-of-watermelon/.
From its ability to reduce the creation of body fat to its anti-inflammatory properties, and everything else in between, watermelon seems to be the new buzz word in healthy eating. It's low in calories, it hydrates, and just looking at it makes you feel summery. Now is the time to buy it, but if you're not a fan of watermelon, it may be because you've tried it before and it wasn't sweet---yuck! Well, I just learned the secret to making sure you are cutting into a perfectly ripe watermelon. Simply let it set on your kitchen counter until the yellow spot on the bottom has darkened. I never thought I'd say this, but I actually reach for the watermelon, instead of chips or candy, and now that I know I'm also being nourished, I'm really quite satisfied!
The sea glass picture above is called, "Pink Ones". I know that a really ripe watermelon is more reddish than pink, but it's close enough.
