Mitigate

My new favorite word:
“To lessen the impact or severity.”
Extreme things can happen in life.
We roll with the aftermath and try to come to terms with a new reality.
Looking back I see so many ways God has been the Great Mitigator.
He has healed, provided, restored…
Not instantly or quickly… but steadily.
Not always according to my plans or desires…but I see the wisdom.
“Recovery” is my word for the New Year.
If only my trust could equal His faithfulness…



High

I wonder why that is…
this need we have to escape, ponder life
renew something intangible inside us to keep going
to keep seeking meaning…
to persevere through the mundane and absurd
the awkward insecurities, the fears and challenges we all face
and often try to avoid…
like we are running from something rather than toward
a higher destination… something more exhilarating.
I remember a song I sang in Vacation Bible School as a kid
It went something like “It’s a long, long road to freedom… a winding steep and high…. but if we walk in love with the wind on our wings… and cover the earth with the songs we sing… the miles fly by…”
(Song by Medical Mission Sisters)

Wounds

I am amazed at how long it takes for a wound to heal. I am on month 15 for a small wound on my nose that went south last year during a stressful period of time. I have gone through at least three boxes of round bandages.

I feel like I have a new identity as the-woman-with-the-nose-bandaid as it is part of my daily wardrobe and appearance. I doubt the people I often come into contact with have nearly the impatience I have with this thing – but they must ponder from time to time “when is she ever going to get rid of that bandaid…”

Darn good question! I keep saying that it is almost there… almost healed… just one more short phase to endure… but I am guessing… and wondering… doing my part but I can do no more…

Some wounds are hard to get a handle on. We wish and wait. We try and fail. We despair and then reach for new hope. Perspective comes and goes. Endurance waxes and wanes.

Maybe it is just all part of the survivor creed. We can’t give up. We have too much riding on living well. Our existence is bigger than the moments of discouragement. A life post-wound beckons. It calls to us to persevere. With a wish and a prayer we refuse to lose hope…