Ever had one of those days where you should have stayed in bed? Wednesday was my birthday, and it should have been a wonderful, carefree day. Well, it imploded on me!
First, we got more snow over night. I had a physical therapy appointment at 9:00 A.M. I thought I didn’t have to worry; the snow plow man would show up before I had to leave. Wrong! He showed up at 9:30. So I re-scheduled the appointment for 11:00.
Second, I thought there was enough time to go to Walmart for a few things, so I left at 10:00. I picked up a few things, paid for them, and went out to the car to find my car’s battery dead! I called my car company to come jump my car, but now I probably would be late to the second appointment. I called my physical therapist again to ask for a few more minutes, which they gave me. After the company’s truck arrived, the mechanic jumped my car, I drove the car to the car company, picked up a loaner car, and arrived at my appointment on time. Actually, I was early!
Third, after all of these things, I thought I owed myself a nice lunch, so I had my favorite: a Philly cheese steak, a salad, and a Samuel Adam’s beer. There’s nothing like a real Philly cheese steak when you’re feeling run over by things.
Fourth, when I arrived back at my house in that too- low hanging loaner car, I got stuck on the hump between the street and my driveway! Having confidence in my driving skills, I gave this black demon car a lot of gas, slid up the driveway, and arrived safely at my garage door.
All of these things might not seem like much to handle, but when you’re recovering from a knee replacement, they can be monumental. There is a silver lining to this story. Earlier that morning, I read my devotional book. The highlight for this day described how we shouldn’t worry about negative things that happen to us. God is more powerful than any other power in the world. He takes the negative things and turns them into blessings.
After I rose that morning, I took the final light from the holidays out of my kitchen window. I have a tradition of keeping one candle in the window to represent everyone I love. On my birthday, I say a prayer for the next year and ask that God blesses all of my loved ones. I was born 67 years ago in a small coal miner’s hospital. My family was a loving family with God as its core value. I may not understand everything that happens to me, but I know God has never let me down. His light still shines in my heart and in the world as long as we continue to be “Christ with flesh on.” In retrospect, my birthday was an explosion of hope!
Anna Hartt
