I fully intended to write another post rather sooner than this!
But life is what it is and, let’s face it, we all have muddled moments and patches of the journey where we need to stare at the sky for a bit.
Those of you wondering at my quietness, I have been very, very tired recently, and increasingly-severe chronic pain has led the doctor to suggest I now have fibromyalgia as well as ME. Regardless of the label, the symptoms are very real, so each day is its own unit which I tackle in the strength I have.
I have found plenty of things to bless me during this (very literally) painful season, so I have hope.
The other evening I noticed the gerbera on my windowsill was wilting horribly. It had one flower which had sagged beyond redemption. I had seen this before. I knew the plant was salvageable, but that I would have to wait for new blooms to emerge. This is not the first time my forgetfulness has shortened the life of a flower.
I watered it thoroughly.
I was making a cuppa the next morning when I glanced towards the window sill and froze in surprise at this:

It was one of those moments when you wish you had a ‘before’ picture. The petals had sagged so far back it had looked dreadful. They were dulled, lifeless.
But in that moment hope coursed through my veins … it felt like a heavenly reminder that transformation is always possible, even when it looks the least likely thing in the world.
Dear Lucy, I am sorry that you have to face this one as well. There is medication that will help but not eliminate the pain. I had ME followed by Fibromyalgia which is much easier to bear. Some of the pacing tricks you learned with ME with help to decrease the pain, but you do get fed up with being so restrictive with yourself.
The picture of restoration of beauty that you experienced is so lovely. That our Lord God loves us without limit and communicates to us in the way that we can receive his love and understand it, shows his loving gentleness towards us – it is just for us. Though thank you for sharing it. May your reawakening and experience of his love be new every morning.
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Lucy, I am about to share Liz Carter’s thoughts on writing with health issues on my blog (next few days). I’d love it if you would also like to contribute to the blog. What do you think? Follow me on http://www.journojohnson.com
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Hi Lucy, good to hear from you again – lovely story of inspiration!
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Thank you, Lucy, what a simple but beautiful reflection!
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