Rejoicing

     We can rejoice, too, whenwe run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us developendurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and characterstrengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead todisappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given usthe Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5, New LivingTranslation)

We can also rejoice because thorn bushes have roses (andsometimes flies).

I had a different message written for today, but whenI got up in the night (except I only got up twice instead of three or fourtimes like I’ve been doing for three and half months), the pain in my back washardly noticeable and the stiffness was tolerable. It took mere seconds to situp in bed instead of the long minutes it has taken since April.

And I’d had a rough week too. We’d been camping and Ithought I could do it, but the pain and stiffness were such that we came home aday early. It just wasn’t any fun; I was disappointed beyond words.

Yet here I am, this morning, rejoicing. I hope that thisback issue of mine has reached another plateau, but I know it's not healed yet.Now, the key is to take it easy and not overdo it. There will be other setbacks,I’m sure, mornings when I can’t get out of bed or bend over or get comfortable,but I’ll keep moving forward.

Thank you to all of you for your many prayers as I’vefought through this.

     And thank You, God, for answering thoseprayers. I’m sorry for my impatience and for those moments of anger when I feltYou had left me. Please, Lord, stay by my side until my back is as good as its goingto get, and if it’s never going to be 100% again, let me accept that outcomewith serenity. Amen