Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Trudging on

Since the last post: Laura got sick (same thing Shannon had), I fell in the bathroom and hurt my arm (slipped in the Lysol solution on the floor), David had a wisdom tooth complication, and Shawn's business trip to Baltimore was canceled due to the weather in Baltimore.

One of those things is good.

Yes, I am truly thankful that Shawn is home right now. God is great. Can you imagine if Shawn had gotten stuck in Baltimore and come down with the stomach flu there? One of the best things about being a person who imagines worst case scenarios (some call us pessimists) is the incredible thanks we can give when our fears do not come to pass!

Also I am thankful that we live in a civilized country and have enough money to buy whatever we need from the grocery store when we are sick. We are all stocked up on lemon lime soda, ginger ale, saltines, rice cakes, applesauce, chicken broth and yogurt. Well, the yogurt goes fast. It is hard to get the well people to leave it for the recovering sick ones. But I have to say, it was a blessing to be able to just go out and buy everything we needed without worry about whether I could afford it.

My bathrooms are very clean.

Jon and Laura went to the dentist and... NO CAVITIES!

Tomorrow, barring another soul falling to the flu, all I have to do is take DJ to the allergist and clean my house for small group.

I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

3 comments:

Hope T. said...

Ruth, I hope you are well and that no one else in the family has fallen ill. I had wanted to comment on your post about the teacher bringing you the pastry. What a beautifully written story that was and again I saw another parallel between you and me that I wanted to comment upon.
I just have not felt any energy at all (to comment or do anything else) since winter began and it keeps getting worse. I think I am suffering from "acedia". Kathleen Norris has written a couple of wonderful books on the subject. Perhaps you have a touch of acedia, also, rather than the laziness with which you charge yourself. (From the little I know of you on your blog, you do not seem lazy, at all.)
I am going to give up the computer for Lent. The goal of this sacrifice, and I am ashamed to say it really is a sacrifice, is to try to address some issues in my life without the distraction that computer is to me. I need to be silent - both my mouth and my head!
(Well, as silent as someone with a house full of kids can be!)
So I wanted to say goodbye for a little while at least and also that I am so glad I found your blog way back when.
God Bless,
Hope T.

ruth said...

Thank you, Hope. Nobody else got the stomach flu.
I keep feeling as though I need a vacation, but I know that is not right, because I hate going on vacation, and it totally stresses me out, from the planning and packing to the actual travel (which also makes me physically ill). I think what I need is summer, and some long walks. I watch the winter Olympics, and I feel so envious of people who are out and physical and active in this weather. If I'd had the money to be a skier, I wonder if I would be different? As it is, my neck can go out just walking the dog on a cold day when the frigid air swirls inside the collar of my jacket.
Also, it is so hard to find really comfortable, available friends. Everybody is always so busy, myself included. I long for the kind of friends who just stop over unannounced and join you for a thrown together lunch of whatever happens to be around, and then stay to help clean up.
I hope you have a blessed Lent. Maybe I will give up Facebook. That would be awesome!

Hope T. said...

"I long for the kind of friends who just stop over unannounced and join you for a thrown together lunch of whatever happens to be around, and then stay to help clean up."

Amen to that :)