Tomorrow morning my family will be heading to Tioga County Pennsylvania for a relaxing weekend at camp. My husband and his brother own a hunting camp deep in the woods off Route 6, outside of Wellsboro. I love going there because I'm always in a different state of mind once I get there. People in that neck of the woods move much more slowly than people in this area.
No one ever flies around us while driving or impatiently follows too close behind. No one seems to be in a hurry to get anywhere, and the relaxed pace of others has a calming effect on me. Everyone should have a place like that to go to.
Alot of things have been going on that would make me want to escape. I turned 50 this year and with that number came painful back problems and six months of chiropractic therapy. I'm also developing some scary arthritis symptoms. I thought I might feel like this at 80, but never expected it at 50.
So physically it's been a trying year. Perhaps six years of chronic insomnia is taking its toll. I'm not sure what's going on, but the challenges have been more than physical. Along with health problems, I've experienced some people problems. People who misunderstood my words, people who overstepped their boundaries, people who made hurtful comments...this year has been full of them.
There were days when I wanted to lock myself away from the world and just spend all day with God. He's really the only one who can make me feel better. Reading his promises for health, healing, and peace are just what I need when I'm hurting physically and emotionally. He knows every detail of my life and he cares about my pain.
One thing I learned in 50 years of life is that people will always let me down. Now, even my own body is letting me down as arthritis is a disease where the body attacks itself. It's hard to understand why God allows suffering, but I do feel His presence in the midst of it. And I know that if I had a happy-go-lucky life without struggles or pain, I wouldn't need God as much. I wouldn't seek Him, and I wouldn't be writing this blog.
In fact, I began writing the blog shortly after I became sick from a prescription drug. I'd probably still be working full time if my health problems hadn't pulled me away from that. I am exactly where God wants me, arthritis and all, and that gives me peace. I know His grace is sufficient to carry me through whatever may be next. Life will always let us down, but when we put our faith in something bigger, we're able to handle the pain and disappointments.
I gotta go pack now for my weekend getaway. I hope you find a few moments of peace yourself this weekend. Scratch whatever you can off your list and go sit under a tree next to the trickle of running water. Listen to the sounds of nature and listen for God's voice. He's there waiting for you to find Him.
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