Feet

I came back from Thanksgiving in Michigan with my family on Monday and I was a hot mess. Now, I know people say that all the time, but really I was the epitome of this description. 2 suitcases, a purse and a Christmas tree is alot to juggle on public transit... and I'm sure watching me made more than one person's day on the el platform. You're welcome. Despite running into posts and persons and moving my gear to my spot on the train 1 piece at a time, I made it home and was never happier to sit on my bed with Hyacinth and catch up on the latest Internet happenings. Sometime between that blissful moment and the one when I decided to go grocery shopping in a downpour my left foot started killing. I pushed through the pain and hauled all my groceries in but found myself hobbling more and more throughout the night.

The next day it was excruciating and close to impossible to walk on. I stayed home from work and attempted to get medical help for my foot and my cold- did I mention I had a cold...? HOT MESS. I told you. I took the heifer (my affectionate name for our 15 passenger church van) to the community clinic. They were so kind, but the woman I saw did not leave me convinced she knew what the problem was or how to fix it. so I called a podiatry office or two to make an appointment. The problem was they were booked to Christmas.

I was frazzled that my problem could not be fixed in 2 seconds- that's about my patience level for things like that. I need progress and facts and treatment plans and solutions- not rest and pain meds. I was determined to go home and find some place where I could see a foot doctor. I tried hard to get home...SO HARD, but somehow I got super turned around and before you knew it I was so far from home and had no idea how to get back there. See my route below: A= Doctor's, B=Point of hopelessness and anger and tears and construction, C= my home


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At point B, in the midst of all my chagrin.... an impressive amount of it too I might add... I saw a sign for a foot doctor's office. Feeling aggressive from all the chagrin, I turned in the parking lot in front of the steam roller working on the road and went to the office to see if they happened to be seeing new patients and if they had any openings.... right now. :) Can you believe they did? And that the staff LOVE Jesus and Moody? And they took my pain really seriously and did x-rays and gave me a soft cast and a boot to wear around for a week or so? And the office is super old school and the doctor tapped my foot before leaving and I felt like one of his grandkids? How does that even happen?
I felt a considerable amount of relief from the pain and should have been elated with this development; which I was...for awhile. But I felt discouraged by all the extra work lugging this boot around would be, and suddenly didn't find feeling like a hot mess very amusing and  the next thing I knew I was laying on my bed in the "depths of despair". bleh!

Joscey called me just then and offered to come over later that night. It might sound silly, but I felt so incredibly loved and like I belonged that she would do that in the midst of her busy family life. That she would come and bring me dinner and a hug and listen to me drone on about all my fears and failings and pray with me. I was reminded by her kindness that this is how God cares for me...  Too often I find myself wallowing in self pity because I don't have a spouse or a family and am alone in life.(wah.wah. wah.) But really that is such a pathetic and ungrateful attitude because in every moment I need someone, God provides me with a member of His body; sometimes a hand,other times ...a foot. :)