Day 5 -- Heal on This Fifth Day of Advent

Healing happens best when one heals with a friend (ice cream is a plus).

It has been quite a year! Last year at this time, my husband was healing from knee replacement surgery and the effect of the pain medications. Less than a year later, he wound up in the hospital with a bacterial skin infection which triggered an arthritic flare up in his natural knee. We're thankful his artificial knee was not touched! From there, both of us have had visits with the doctors. The privilege of growing older. Yet, I know many friends and family members of all ages and for many reasons are in need of healing right now. For some, eating good food, moving around, and getting some sleep goes a long ways.

For others, healing is more complicated. Still, I like the subtitle on this book cover: "How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes."

Some days all one can do is to "take the next step one knows to take" -- a Dallas Willard saying that has helped me time after time.

Healing, in the midst of a medical condition or healing in the midst of relational issues, is a journey -- a journey that one often awakens to. For me and mine, we gather our resources, we simplify our lives, and we wait, just as Advent is a time of waiting, for the One who comes with healing in his wings. 

Awake on This First Day of Advent

As I thought on this first word for #adventword2017 #awaken, this is the picture that came to mind.

Much good comes from waking up; however, waking up isn't always pretty. Even in the best of circumstances, there's still morning breath (or nap time breath) to deal with.

The awakening for Joseph could not have been easy. He has found out that his betrothed Mary is pregnant, and he definitely knows the baby is not his. Being a "just" man, he does not want to make a public example of Mary. I have to pause for a moment to write how much I admire Joseph. What a beautiful picture of justice. It's so different from my culture's view. Still, the baby is not his, so he thinks it is best to divorce her privately (a betrothal in those days was essentially married). But, an angel comes to Joseph in a dream and tells Joseph to "fear not to take Mary as your wife..." and reveals to him who and what this baby is going to grow up to be and do. And, Joseph is to name the baby JESUS.

"Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife."

Tell me that your hair would not stand up a bit, that your eyes would not pop open, and your clothing would not be a bit disheveled being awakened in this way.

This word has caused me to think of all the ways I have been awakened this year. Awakenings can come in surprising ways. While watching an old show of the television series, NCIS, I was awakened by this comment made by the main character: "Worry only makes you suffer twice." Wow! I have heard various statements made about worry, but none of them have made a transformational difference in my life until that one.

That was a gentle awakening. This morning's awakening was a shocking kind as my mind and body registered:  "The driver in that van is coming toward me!" It turns out that the driver was having difficulty getting the large van to turn into the correct lane. As my brakes moaned, the driver waved a "Sorry!" wave at me and continued on. Gentle or rude, awakenings call us to be present, be in the here and now.

I was awakened from my normal drive home, but the journey did continue on safely. Other awakenings for myself, my family, my friends and acquaintances this year have not continued on quite so happily. Awakenings to deception, to grief, to tragedy, to illness. In those times, as Mr. Rogers used to say, "I look for the helpers." In those times, as Joseph did, I also look for the face and  fingerprints of God. And, the face I see, just as it was for the little guy in the picture, is a face returning love and kindness and encouragement. The fingerprints are on hands that wrap me in hope and peace.