Does anyone else feel the wear and tear of a fast paced life? This week felt like I had every minute scheduled and accounted for. I was feeling it by the end of the week. So yesterday I was thankful for a commitment I made one year ago to set time aside each week to be silent, read, pray, study and listen.
Last April, I was driving the family home from a super fun day trip to Capitola. All my people were sleeping. I turned down the radio to think and pray in silence. Since I had heard from God that it was time to start sharing my story about 5 months prior to this drive, a friend had recommended that I attend a “silent retreat.” Hmm…interesting idea. I don’t know how I would do being silent for a whole weekend but I certainly wanted to meditate and process with the Lord about the calling on this journey.
As I was thinking about this suggestion, I sensed God giving me the idea to carve out time every week for Him in silence, at a beautiful place of respite: my dear friend’s home in Danville, which houses the most breathtaking view of Mt. Diablo.
My friend was more than happy to open her patio to me every Friday morning and I’ve been visiting her home faithfully almost every Friday since that drive home from Capitola. It has been a wonderful time to breathe, refresh my soul, hear from God, read His Word and prepare many presentations. Oftentimes I just sit silently, pray over my family, friends, marriage and decisions at hand. The combination of the view, the soft sound of the wind, the hawks soaring above and the breeze on my face….ahhh…peace.
I’m so thankful that I literally have this written into my calendar every week. When I’m tempted to fill that space with yet another commitment, I am reminded that I NEED to refuel….my health depends on it.
I hope you will consider how you can refuel on a regular basis. Stress is literally killing us on the inside. Eating healthy and exercising regularly help in this effort to de-tox and de-stress, but we also must take time to stop and breathe….
Last Spring I gave up social media for Lent, so many of you may not know that during that time, Hailey had surgery. She was playing on the JV women’s basketball team for her high school when she went up to block a lay up and landed on someone’s foot. Her knee turned, and POP! She was on the ground screaming in pain. Like, SCREAMING…I’ve never heard her do that before. Never knowing how to respond, as a parent in the stands, I sat waiting until her reeling on the court did not cease. I ran down the stands and she was quickly carried off of the court and the game resumed…without her.
Sent home on a Friday night, knee wrapped, hobbling on crutches, she laid down the whole way home. Of course we couldn’t visit an orthopedist that late at night and the ER would have been no help. We knew nothing was broken, but what was it?
Later, her MRI revealed worse than we feared. It was not a dislocated kneecap, as the trainer had suggested, it was not just an ACL tear, but a fully ruptured ACL and torn meniscus. Oh man.
Previously this girl was known as: “Most Athletic” in the 8th grade. Received the “Player’s Choice Award” for her 8th grade basketball team, and the “Defensive Dominance Award” for her Freshman basketball team. She was ferocious, and able to fight against teen boys and men in her Martial Arts class. She was training for three-day-eventing and jumping over 4 foot high poles and felled trees while riding on her trusted steed.
Life was about to get interesting. She had to learn to accept the help of classmates who helped her carry her heavy backpack between classes while she gingerly navigated the halls of high school on her crutches. She often had to ice her knee at lunch. Her very busy life quickly became very quiet.
Three months later she had reconstructive surgery. She was amazing and handled it like a trooper. However, the post-op was difficult. She had to be on an ice machine 20 hours a day and use another machine that bent her knee for her for many hours out of the day, at increasing degrees. Physical therapy began two days after surgery.
Nine months of recovery ensued. That is a long time. Almost 18 months after her injury, she hasn’t touched a basketball since that fateful Friday night. She has not returned to martial arts due to the intensity of kicking with and at the legs. Fortunately though, she has literally “gotten back on the horse.” She began by working on flat work/Dressage and has been working her way back up to jumping.
Going from intense activity and being in incredible shape to a completely sedentary life overnight has real implications. It’s been rough both physically and emotionally. She has lost her confidence because she fears re-injury. She has lost the camaraderie that comes with team sports. So, when I asked her the other day if she was interested in joining me for a Mother/Daughter Challenge she said, “Sure.” A typical teenage response, but I’ll take it. She’s been visiting the gym and even tried my 22 Minute Hard Corps exercise video. We always talk about nutrition and fueling your body with the best foods we can, and this will be an ongoing conversation.
So, if Hailey is able to say, “Sure.” What is keeping you from giving a Challenge Group a try? What is keeping you from reaching out to see how I can help you get fit and eat healthy? What is keeping you from reaching your goals? Trust me when I say, “If Hailey can do it, YOU CAN DO IT.”
I don’t know what will come of this journey for Hailey but I do know that I’m proud of her for taking the first step and saying, “SURE.” I’d love to help you “get back on the horse.”
