Wonderings--March 8

Besides being my sister Meleny and my Uncle Allan's birthday, March 8th is significant this year for a personal reason. After having my right knee replaced on Valentine's Day, March 8th was the first night that I slept without any pain medication in my system to help me. My only accompaniment for sleep was a pair of greenish-blue Advil. 

Now for some background to why this is significant. . . Because of the pain associated with the recovery, I have only been able to sleep in my bed for about a week now. I never sleep through the night now. Normally, (and I am not kidding) I wake around 11pm, 2am, 3am, 5am and then when the alarm goes off. (Now don't feel sorry for me, I can take a nap later if I need it). 

At each interval of the night, I have a few options to work with. I use some or all of these 4: 

I massage the inside of my knee for a minute.

I go 'strap on' my ice machine and let it work. 

I go for a short walk around the house to help move the joint a bit. 

Or I reposition the pillow that I need under my knee and try and endure. 

Regardless of which I select, I try to be silent as I do this, because even though it hurts, I don't want to wake Jennifer. 

But last night, I took no medication for pain. Sure I still work at midnight and 3am. But my healing is progressing. . . Last night, as Jennifer read her book, I pulled my blanket up to my nose. I took a deep breath and tried to let my knee 'settle' into a locked-position. I could feel gentle little pops and stings as the joint sank into the pillow that helps ease the pain. Then I thought about the words of Richard Foster who has helped me often in times like this. 

In his book, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, he wrote: 

"Simple Prayer involves ordinary people bringing ordinary concerns to a loving and compassionate Father. There is no pretense in Simple Prayer. We do not pretend to be more holy, more pure, or more saintly than we actually are."

Foster continues throughout the rest of the chapter to help his readers to understand that prayer to God need only be as honest as the breath that we take each day, each moment. Flowery words and ornate phrasing is unnecessary, and perhaps cumbersome. When we need to fall into God's loving embrace in prayer, openness and simplicity are needed. 

So back to last night. . . As I felt my knee sink into the pillow and the pain begin to increase slowly, I closed my eyes and thought, "Lord, I want to sleep now. But if I can't do that, then let's talk."

I still woke up at 2am in some discomfort. I rubbed my sore knee and went for a short walk to get some water. Neither dog stirred and Jennifer slept. Sitting her now, I again return to Simple Prayer and say, "Thanks for that."

I wonder if today you might find some time for your own Simple Prayer? Nothing ornate. Nothing dramatic. Just a moment of honesty between you and God. . . Notice how it feels and what happens.

Blessings

Rev. Derek