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There comes a time for most boats when they need their hull scraped free of barnacles.  One website says that “a barnacle-free surface is essential for smooth cruising”.  According to Google, this process is more easily done if the boat is removed from the water.  I guess God thought I needed some maintenance work, as He has dry docked me.  Four weeks ago, I had shoulder surgery.  Apparently, when I do something, I do it up big.  It turned out that I had not only a rotator cuff tear, I also have something called frozen shoulder.  I was shocked when the doctor originally told me I would miss 6 weeks of work.  I told him this is no time for that.  Teaching virtually and in person at the same time is not something that can just be handed over to a substitute teacher, if one can even find a substitute willing to take it on.  When the recovery time was bumped to 12 weeks (thanks, frozen shoulder) I very nearly decided to just live with the pain until summer.  But I could not take it anymore.  It turns out that I will go back to work at the 8-week mark, because the financial pain will at that point be at its limit.  Thanks to my precious family, I have been well taken care of and my pain has gone from a constant 10+ to a 3 over these last weeks of enforced sitting around (in dry dock).  They have worked as a team to see to my every need.  I am very blessed and appreciative.  So, how many ways can one look at a frustrating situation?  Apparently, five to six different ways (per hour) when there’s nothing else to do.  I am, of course, trying to find the joy and look on the bright side.  According to all my friends at work, I should be glad to not be in the middle of the stress ball that is our job right now.  I am away from “the madness”.  Perhaps that is why God has placed me here unable to use my left arm at all, typing with one hand and shimmying into elastic waist pants while wearing an arm sling contraption that feels like a straight jacket.  Satan keeps throwing shade on “the bright side” of things in the form of stress and worry.  He is quite creative and has a never-ending supply of ways to steal (our) joy.  But (our) God is greater and stronger than anything Satan can come up with.  So, step aside, Satan.  I may be in dry dock, but a lot of repairs and improvements are being made.  When I get back in the water and set sail for “Stress City” in four weeks, I will be grateful for this time of rest and recuperation.  God does not promise smooth sailing, but He does promise to be with us for our entire voyage.  He is our anchor.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV) says:  ”Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”   Hope is our beacon.  Faith is our anchor.  Smile and be joyful!

 

 

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