Miracle Monday

My miracle today is something that happened just this weekend.

I have been sick recently with that I have self-diagnosed to have been Fifth Disease. Many of us think of this as a childhood virus, but anyone who has never had it before can get it. But it's kind of like chicken pox... once you've had it, you've got the antibodies and won't get it again.

Can I get a Hallelujah?!?!

As adults one of the symptoms that gets reported along with the tell-tale rash (according to the CDC) is joint pain and stiffness. I got the rash last Tuesday evening and began having the joint pain/stiffness very mildly on Wednesday. By Thursday, I felt like my joints were swollen and, in fact, I could not even get my wedding ring on my finger (thankfully I take it off and I'm not now telling a story of having to have it cut off).

Finally by Friday evening, it hurt to simply try to roll over in bed and I got very little sleep that night. Saturday morning, I couldn't hardly move to get out of bed. I took some Tylenol and finally got moving and things loosened up a little, but it was painful. All day long it was painful.

Then it hit me... I was supposed to try to play handbells on Sunday morning. With joints that won't move, I was supposed to try to play handbells.

This is when you start praying and calling your director to start praying.

If you've never played handbells before, then maybe this makes no sense to you, but it's an entire body instrument. At least for me it is. From the biggest hugest bells (that require both of my hands to ring just one) to the teeniest bells (which I play 2 in each hand). I'm standing, tapping my toes and stepping to the beat. I'm lunging and feeling the music. I'm using my entire upper body to ring, damp, table damp, and martellato (banging the bells on the table).

It's fun. As long as your joints are all working properly. Which at the moment, mine were not.

You know, it's interesting, I've always acknowledged that any musical or artistic talent that I have has come from God. I've always done my best to give Him the glory. But I can't remember ever feeling like I had to fully rely on Him to make it to or through a performance. I mean really just trust that He's going to show up or it's not gonna happen. That's how I felt on Saturday morning as I was doing my quiet time. I knew that God was gonna have to SHOW UP in a mighty way if I was going to be able to play on Sunday morning.

So, Saturday evening, my dearest husband goes to the store and comes home with my miracle in a bottle.

I was able to get to sleep easily and woke up Sunday morning without the slightest pain.

Here's the thing though... I believe it had so much more to do with God SHOWING UP and making a way (He's the WAY-MAKER) for me to be pain free and be able to play handbells to His glory on Sunday morning. He wanted His Son's name glorified...

All Hail the Power of Jesus Name,

Let angels prostrate fall.

Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of All.

Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of All.

Amen and Amen!

The words of Psalm 5 (NIV) resonated so loudly with me this weekend as I read them in my quiet time:

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord,
consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation
...
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies -
make straight your way before me.

Do we really wait in full expectation of what He's going to do? Do we really ask and expect Him to make a way?

I know I don't always do that. But I did this weekend. And GOD SHOWED UP!

You can read other miracles and post a link to your own miracle at A Mom's Life.