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I kept telling myself that planting a church would be hard work. It's easy to get caught up in the glamour, so to speak, of church planting. However, I didn't anticipate an urgent care visit this morning. I didn't expect that type of hard work.
I've had some severe pain in my neck and shoulder for a few days now. Muscle spasms are seriously horrible, and I really don't know if I've ever felt anything like it in my life. I thought I had pulled a muscle, but this morning I woke up with red spots all over the same areas the pain is in. An urgent care visit later, and I am diagnosed with shingles. Who knew at the ripe old age of 29 I'd get shingles. Apparently stress can trigger the virus that's been dormant since I had chicken pox as a child.
Disappointing to say the least. Not only am I in pain, but I'm also somewhat contagious. I can't be around children, pregnant ladies, or people with compromised immunities. This puts a bit of a damper on getting settled, and on exploring the community.
However, I am still amazed at how God moves, and the ways in which He has used me despite being stuck inside and feeling miserable.
Instead of feeling miserable, and being disappointed that all the boxes aren't unpacked, that I haven't gotten to walk around the city, and all of the other things I thought I'd be doing today, I'm choosing to look at the blessings.
- While driving to and from urgent care, I got to see downtown Hammond which I hadn't experienced yet. I feel like I have more of a bearing for where we are, and the vast diversity of this city.
- I found the 24 hour pharmacy Walgreens since my prescription needed to be filled and it was before 9am. Which led me to discover several restaurants (including McDonalds, which was great since I needed some breakfast after the crazy AM), as well as where a few stores are.
- While I was sitting in the parking lot at Walgreens, eating my aforementioned healthy McDonalds breakfast, a man knocked on my window (which startled me, and I threw my healthy egg, sausage and biscuit in the air), but I rolled my window down. He seemed pretty desperate for some gas money to get back home. I only had a dollar and some change, but I gave him what I could. He seemed grateful, and I felt a little less useless about being stuck with shingles.
- I was here when the AT&T guy came, and was able to talk to him. I was able to give him some water, and that also made me feel better.
- We also have had a guy doing some work on our house from a neighboring church. He stopped by to continue some projects. It was great to meet him, and we had some truly awesome conversations. He asked me what church planting looks like, and we talked about the Church being more than a building. It was really great to get to know someone who has put so much time into getting our house ready for us, and who will be doing more in the days ahead. Most importantly it was great to be able to share in a thin place. A moment that I thought I wouldn't have today, because I'm stuck here, but I had none the less. An opportunity to see the kingdom of God in a unique way.
Despite this week looking different than my expectations, I truly can't complain much. I'm in pain, I feel miserable, but it's so evident that the Holy Spirit is moving. I'm praying my ego and expectations don't get in the way. I'm praying that I remember the next time things don't go as planned, that that doesn't mean God can't redeem the situation for the good.
Trying to look on the bright side of things, and would love prayers for the days of healing yet to come. (And that I'd rest... because it's hard to rest with so much to do).
