Recent Readings 1 - Enjoying Life

Marion is kicking us off with what we hope to be the first of  many 'book reviews' on the blog:

2021 has seen me re-reading a book, in collaboration with a friend, that I first read around 10 years or so ago and as I re-visit it, can see in many areas the impact that its content has had on me...they may have been slow incremental changes, but I’m thankful that I can see manifestations of desires in my heart and answered prayers from my first reading. It is also evident from the pages that I turn that the journey is still in progress! The book is by Joyce Meyer and has been re-titled from its early issue to Enjoy Your Journey: Find the Hidden Treasure in Everyday.

Finding myself unexpectedly in hospital for a series of tests, I thought putting this into practice might prove challenging, particularly with no visitors allowed in Covid times.  However, as the following account portrays my concerns were unfounded as once again the spirit in these writings over-ruled and brought blessings of growth.

My first 24 hrs were a bit of a whirlwind. In amongst the plethora of questions from the medical profession, and messages pinging back and forth from family & friends, I found myself in a place of opportunity to relax and put my feet up.

On being moved to a window bed the view was described as 'of the car park' but it didn't take me long to realise that making a slight adjustment and lifting my eyes just even a little that the view beyond the car park, and the city buildings was a place I enjoy being in - the fells.

After a first night in a room of my own with limited noise I was warned, with much apologetic manner, by the nursing staff of the intensity of bleeping that I would hear from monitors now being on a ward. As I lay ready to sleep listening to the random chimes from one place or another down the corridor I heard something familiar in its rhythm - the ringing of church bells, heralding hope and celebration.

Having seen programmes and heard stories of MRI scans – confinement and noise - I mentally prepared myself for this experience in terms of seeing it as another 'underground' adventure. I entered the machine using the techniques I've often suggested on trips in tight places - thinking of some favourite things and closing my eyes to be in a familiar (and for me safe) dark place.  The 15 minutes or so of time that followed took me to a place of: praise & thanksgiving; re-calling numerous Smallcleugh Mine moments; and being in the music room of a contemporary composer whose own musical creation was giving off images of a sculptor chipping away to produce a beautiful piece of artwork of their own.

In a ward with very demanding, difficult and heart wrenching situations my eyes were drawn to the hospital staff, from auxiliaries to doctors, many of whom I am sure have their own life challenges beyond the hospital setting, working their day with such humour, humility, compassion and generosity of spirit.  (This left me with such admiration and a prayer for them, that as they have regard for the weak they would know Gods spirit of freedom in their own times of trouble, and his blessings of protection)

On my return home, my thoughts take me to how often the ‘hidden treasure’ can be missed simply because of our own negative emotions, or the words and actions of others that have taken our thinking to a place that is less than the best, and rob us of the ‘life in all its fullness’ that we were created for and intended to live.

References: Psalm 41:1 ; John 10: 10

Marion