Getting Older
If you are reading this and are under 45 or so, I suggest you close this window and move on to something else. Ignorance is bliss. If your over 45, all I can say is misery loves company. However, I guess if you are under the age of 45… you can keep reading to see what you have to look forward to.
I picked 45 because that is about the age when the ravages of time started impacting the creation that is my body. In the last more than 15 years, I have had a sinus surgery (I had 4 sinus surgeries before that), my gall bladder removed, been admitted to the hospital with a UTI (of all things), started having joint problems and, just recently, developed something that I guess is a pinched nerve. For those of you close to my age that have not dealt with the number of issues, bet you feel better about now.
Anyway, I want to focus on the pinched nerve not because I’m looking for pity or necessarily even prayers (although if you feel lead to pray for me, thank you). I want to share how this is impacting me in a broader way. The pinched nerve is in my left shoulder area and has manifested itself in a loss of strength or grip in my left arm. This is my not my dominant arm so, most of the time, it is fairly easy to work around (an example of where it is not is that I’m used to putting on my cologne with my left hand and I’m having a very hard time putting it in the right side of my face).
Where I’m sad is that I’m having problems playing music. I play a woodwind instrument and I need both hands to play the keys and hold the instrument in the proper position. I’m starting to have issues with that latter part of holding the instrument in the right position. My woodwind instrument works by blowing air at the correct angle over an opening at the head of the instrument. Not being able to hold it securely is where I’m having trouble maintaining the tone.
Stop The Presses!
Ironically, I wrote the above one morning (I was early to an appointment) and intended to finish it this afternoon. In between, besides the appointment, I wanted to squeeze in mowing my yard. Mowing my yard takes 2-3 hours so I look forward to it because I can listen to Christian music while I mow. That day, as I was mowing, an artist was announcing how he was considering how God made a rose with thorn knowing that a crown of thorns would be placed on Jesus’ head as inspiration for his new song. That helped realization made him appreciate that God’s plan may not be understandable to us but even the part of his creation that we might question why it was created may have a bigger benefit in God’s plan.
So, I guess God has a plan for my pinched nerve…he’s blessed me more than I can ever describe and infinitely more than I deserve. God knows what is in my heart and even if I can’t play music that won’t change.
“Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” - Psalm 56:1-11 ESV
“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small" - Proverbs 24:10
“In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.” - Ecclesiastes 7:14
In case you are interested, my intention was to finish this devotion by describing how playing music, for me, is a form of worship and that is why I was sad…all true but I think my mowing experience and realization not only made a better ending for this but improved my attitude.
