Be still and know that I am God. -Psalm 46:10
This Christmas will not be too quickly forgotten.
Sparing most of the details...it all started with the flu...or so I think.
It happened to mom first. She became sick only days after receiving the influenza inoculation & visiting my grandpa in the hospital. Most definitely a bad combination of roaming microbes and bugs.
My mom of course brought the bug into our home. Negative temperatures and the hibernation of small animals outside, causes the repercussion of homes inside, to turn into incubators and breading grounds for any type of germ.
Therefore I got the flu. Have you ever had the flu? It is sick, no pun intended.
Took the life right out of me. I ended up missing half the play White Christmas by Irving Berlin at the Ordway Theater. Dave & Janie Pearson, along with my folks purchased tickets for our entire families to go to the show. The classic play/musical was wonderful...or the parts that I saw at least. I became quick friends with the ladies room & our 78 year old usher Judy...who happened to be a retired RN and was eager to tell me stories of her hospital days. Oh the joys!
The following day was Christmas Eve. It turned out that my grandpa had improved from his illnesses but could not return home to my grandparents apartment. So we packed the family up and headed down to Rochester to spend Christmas Eve at the Charter House!
It was a strange thing that happened to me there. It seemed as if the moment I walked into the Charter House- I was immediately feeling better. Perhaps my life is similar to that of Benjamin Buttons!? Just a thought. My grandpa was very happy to see us and likewise were we to see him. 
Grandpa Al & me
Grandma Beth & Grandpa Al smoochin!
As soon as I began to feel better Christmas Eve- Judson got the bug. =) What in the world!?Ben & Toni of course had to drive back to the cities after dinner to spend the night with Ben's side of the family. As soon as they headed out- dad, mom, Judson and I headed over to our hotel where the bug took the best of Judson.
Merry Christmas!...or should I say Bah! Humbug!
wow.
Christmas morning came and it was sweet o awaken with the childlike excitement...
I was wide eyed and ready to be aroused by my mom, with the lit candle at my bedside indicating to me that it was now ok to run upstairs to open the stockings and drink hot cocoa as grandpa would read Luke Chapter two in his bold, but tender interpretation of the Birth of Christ.
Silly girl, I was not at home, I was in a hotel, in Rochester and mom and dad were sleeping like babes...brother Judson was half dead with this disgusting bug...and the temperature outside was now almost negative 15. Reality check! I decided to go for a walk.
Walking in Rochester is no new thing for me. However walking in Rochester on the holiday's especially cold holiday's can be very sedentary. There was no motion anywhere. No cars were driving, no bustle of busy doctors, nurses or patients dodging in and out of the busy Mayo Clinic. Parts of the river were frozen over, and there was but a faint breeze that bit my bare face as I put a little more charisma into my steps. The city was still.
A smile came to my face as I once again pictured my place in this big world. Today was a day where every person should be at home, warm and settled, opening gifts and drinking hot apple cider, cocoa or hot coffee. I was walking so quickly now I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I was freezing...but so thankful that everyone & everything around me was still. I stopped outside the mayo medical school to tie my shoelace and as I stood there, I kept repeating in my head the very familiar but true Psalm, "Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God." How comforting and victorious those 8 words were to my mind and heart this Christmas morning, 2008. I decided to walk to my grandma's and drop in to give her a Christmas morning kiss. =) How wonderful it was to step inside a heated apartment building and share a sweet moment with my grandma. As I left to return to the hotel I dropped into the Lutheran church...that was full with congregants participating in the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ. It was peaceful there, not knowing a soul I was able to stay for a short bit and then head on along my way. Returning to the hotel I was greeted by my parents who were now up and ready to head over to visit grandpa. It turned out to be such sweet time with both my grandparents.
Judson is better. He shaped up late in the evening Christmas day. However as soon as it left Judson- my dad got it. Except, I think he got something else. He is spending the next couple of days in the hospital. It is one thing to have your grandpa in the hospital, but my dad...just doesn't seem like a good thing. As I followed the ambulance downtown St. Paul I was sweetly reminded of the Psalm once again. This time I realized that the situation had changed from Christmas morning..and everything around me was bustling, but now I was sitting still.
Traffic was heavy from post holiday shoppers returning their undesired Christmas gifts, and people returning to work. The temperatures have dramatically increased to transform the ice and snow into slush and mush, and the New Year is quickly approaching.
"Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God." Just as comforting and even more so reassuring now than on Christmas morning were those 8 words. How faithful of a God we serve...in the midst of so many times of unknowns and fears.
Dad is ok. His heart seems to be healthy- no significant signs of a stroke as of now. Poor sinuses, combined with increased pressure in his inner ear, dehydration and perhaps the stress of the last few weeks finally took him out. He is regaining strength and receiving the medication he needs at the hospital. He will be laying low for the next couple of days.
Ben is sick too. He has been since yesterday as well...and thankfully is young and strong to fight off whatever this is everyone is getting.
We might all be falling apart, but at least we are all still here. I am not looking forward to the day that one of us is no longer here. But I do know that the same 8 words will be as true then as they have been now. Thank you Lord for teaching us to be still and learn to trust in you.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:1-3 & 10-11
Walking in Rochester is no new thing for me. However walking in Rochester on the holiday's especially cold holiday's can be very sedentary. There was no motion anywhere. No cars were driving, no bustle of busy doctors, nurses or patients dodging in and out of the busy Mayo Clinic. Parts of the river were frozen over, and there was but a faint breeze that bit my bare face as I put a little more charisma into my steps. The city was still.
A smile came to my face as I once again pictured my place in this big world. Today was a day where every person should be at home, warm and settled, opening gifts and drinking hot apple cider, cocoa or hot coffee. I was walking so quickly now I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I was freezing...but so thankful that everyone & everything around me was still. I stopped outside the mayo medical school to tie my shoelace and as I stood there, I kept repeating in my head the very familiar but true Psalm, "Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God." How comforting and victorious those 8 words were to my mind and heart this Christmas morning, 2008. I decided to walk to my grandma's and drop in to give her a Christmas morning kiss. =) How wonderful it was to step inside a heated apartment building and share a sweet moment with my grandma. As I left to return to the hotel I dropped into the Lutheran church...that was full with congregants participating in the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ. It was peaceful there, not knowing a soul I was able to stay for a short bit and then head on along my way. Returning to the hotel I was greeted by my parents who were now up and ready to head over to visit grandpa. It turned out to be such sweet time with both my grandparents.
Judson is better. He shaped up late in the evening Christmas day. However as soon as it left Judson- my dad got it. Except, I think he got something else. He is spending the next couple of days in the hospital. It is one thing to have your grandpa in the hospital, but my dad...just doesn't seem like a good thing. As I followed the ambulance downtown St. Paul I was sweetly reminded of the Psalm once again. This time I realized that the situation had changed from Christmas morning..and everything around me was bustling, but now I was sitting still.
Traffic was heavy from post holiday shoppers returning their undesired Christmas gifts, and people returning to work. The temperatures have dramatically increased to transform the ice and snow into slush and mush, and the New Year is quickly approaching.
"Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God." Just as comforting and even more so reassuring now than on Christmas morning were those 8 words. How faithful of a God we serve...in the midst of so many times of unknowns and fears.
Dad is ok. His heart seems to be healthy- no significant signs of a stroke as of now. Poor sinuses, combined with increased pressure in his inner ear, dehydration and perhaps the stress of the last few weeks finally took him out. He is regaining strength and receiving the medication he needs at the hospital. He will be laying low for the next couple of days.
Ben is sick too. He has been since yesterday as well...and thankfully is young and strong to fight off whatever this is everyone is getting.
We might all be falling apart, but at least we are all still here. I am not looking forward to the day that one of us is no longer here. But I do know that the same 8 words will be as true then as they have been now. Thank you Lord for teaching us to be still and learn to trust in you.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:1-3 & 10-11
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