photo: © Photomax | Dreamstime.com

With travel, July 4th holiday and some additional writing involvements, my normal schedule pretty much went into the trash this week.  I’m glad a lot of you are busy, on vacation or otherwise involved in your lives so you aren’t noticing…but for those who are, I apologize.  It was not expected.  I should be back in my groove next week…I hope!

Now, on to Five Minute Friday or Fellowship Friday  only a day late!

She breathes

But there is a tightness in her jaws

That extends down the back of her neck

Across her shoulders

And partially down her arms.

It also slides up the sides of her head,

Joining with that other pounding headache that was there to begin with!

The stress of driving children back and forth in city traffic

Is getting to her body.

It is taking a beating from the stress of deadlines, traffic, rushing,

Trying to keep up!

Some days, she isn’t sure if taking a deep breath is even wise!     STOP

Eventually, the pain got to be more than she could deal with.

As she began dealing with the pain,

She found that it meant more than taking pain medication.

It involved getting to the root of the pain.

As it turned out, the root of the pain wasn’t the jarring of her jaw

In the minor car accident the year before.

Yes, that stirred things up.

But that wasn’t the root!

The root grew much earlier when she was a lonely girl

Being expected to be an adult.

She didn’t know better and thought the expectations were realistic.

She didn’t understand why she couldn’t live up to them.

The emotional pain of all those years became physical pain.

She learned to deal with the physical pain by learning to relax

By taking time out for herself to walk and even be alone at times.

By learning to forgive and get rid of long-held resentments.

By learning to say, “No, I won’t be able to do that.”

And by learning to accept “No” from others and not find it devastating.

As time went on, she learned to breathe again.

Inhale, Exhale.  Deeply, slowly, evenly.

Inhale the pure air…drink deeply of it.

Exhale the contaminated air…it is harmful.

Get rid of it.

Exhale…rest, relax,

Then back to the rhythm: inhale, exhale…

The grace of GOD is available to each of us as we face ourselves and our frailties.

They aren’t fun to look at, but when we take the time to do it,

We will be encouraged.

A load will be lifted.

We will be freed to help, encourage and love others.

Fellowship Friday