Well, y’all, my last post was about Hope and Christmas week. Two of the very best overlapping things.
After I wrote it, I kept noticing that Hope has been finding me everywhere – beautiful quotes on Instagram, old beloved songs popping into my head, bible verses in my quiet time, absolutely stunning art on my Facebook feed. . .
So I had decided to do another post just collecting those wonderful gifts to share – and was working on listing them when, just as my CRPS first came to me in my left leg so long ago, I laid down for a nap and woke up with intractable pain and redness and swelling and temperature sensitivity and a feeling of actual fire and inability to use my right hand.
I have to admit that I’ve lived in fear of a spread to my hands for years – so this was a tough thing to take, especially at Christmas.
Still, there is really no choice but to face this and my precious family is helping me and the Lord is giving me strength.
As with the original onset, there appears to be a cellulitis component as well so I immediately obtained antibiotics in the hopes that they might contain this – and I’m praying.
After I’ve had a bit to “adjust” as much as I can, I have managed to learn to work with my left hand – and am persuaded that now I need to create our Vitamin Hope list even more than I did before.
To begin, I’m going to share this picture of my right wrist, now turning Bob the Tomato red as my hand can’t be touched and my fingers won’t straighten.
What I want to say about this is that it’s also the area of my anchor tattoo, to always draw my heart to one of my life verses:
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast. – Hebrews 6:19
God’s got this too, y’all. He knew the path I would walk before I ever came to be and He walks it before me and beside me.
Because of Him, there is so much hope, even in a difficult dark year for our world.
Shortly after I posted my previous post, I opened my email and had a link to Ann Voskamp’s – one of my very favorites – new blog post on. . . HOPE.
This post is just stunning. Read it here if you’d like:
https://annvoskamp.com/2020/12/why-hope-is-actually-a-strategy-the-strategy-you-need-most-this-year/
Then, an Amy Grant song I loved from 1991 – I’m aging myself but I remember seeing her sing this with my Daddy at Oak Mountain Amphitheater ❤ – popped into my head and it’s just stayed with me.
I had to go find it on Apple Music and I’m loving it once more.
An absolutely stunning picture of a temporary exhibit was posted on Monday on the National Cathedral’s Facebook page from artist Michael Pendry.
It’s called “Les Colombes” and was shared with the sentiment:
A new year. A new start. A new hope.
Oh my heart. ❤
Another verse that’s close to my heart about hope has been turning up all over. A total God thing I say.
I also came across this lovely thought I want to share.
As we approach Christmas, let’s love each other and enjoy being together safely – however that looks this year.
Most importantly – let’s remember and celebrate the arrival of our Savior, who sees us through the dark times and makes the good times even more brilliant.
He is will be our Peace and He is our eternal Hope.
Merry Christmas, y’all.
Be well, everybody. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Grace and Blessings.
the autoimmune hippie. 