This weekend we were to attend a wonderful needlework retreat in Enfield, New Hampshire with Thea Dueck, of The Victoria Sampler, sponsored by New England Stitcher's Retreats. Alas, after all of the months and months of anticipating this exciting event, the Lord had other plans for us.
Sometimes it is so difficult to understand why things happen as they do, but since my throat surgery about 5 weeks ago, my breathing has waxed and waned, and yesterday it worsened and caused me to need an urgent visit to my surgeon. His diagnosis was that another surgical procedure needs to be done the day after Columbus Day, and I am on steroids for now to reduce the swelling. Honestly, if I had been in New Hampshire and had this crisis occur, it would not have been a good thing to be so far from home, and I know that in my heart, but what a HUGE disappointment not to be able to join with all of those lovely stitchers at the retreat!
When I read my devotional for yesterday, this is the scripture that jumped off the page: "Do not fear nor be dismayed" . (Deuteronomy 31:8) Well, if that isn't a really direct answer to my question of "Why did this have to happen now!? I shed buckets of tears, got it all out of my system, and later in the day picked up my stitching again, and started to feel some of the tension and disappointment begin to dissipate. For me, stitching has always been one of the most wonderfully soothing ways to get in touch with the more peaceful side of my spirit. It always is....
This is a song by Lowell Alexander, reminding us of God's presence in our lives. It was featured in "Our Daily Bread" on October 7, 2010, and I believe that this beautiful song reflects what so many of us need to realize when we travel through the stormy journeys of life:
" You will face mountains so steep, deserts so long and valleys so deep. Sometimes the journey is gentle, sometimes the cold winds blow. But I want you to remember, I want you to know that you will never walk alone...Jesus will be right beside you all the way."
