Tuesday, March 15, 2011

ERS


A dear friend Jill shared this quote with me recently from another dear old friend, Eliza R. Snow:

It is a blessing to us that we, at times, are brought into circumstances which are calculated to bring into exercise every power and faculty which we possess. It is true, it may not seem very desirable for the time being, but it has a tendency to strengthen and develop our abilities and prepare us for greater usefulness.

Eliza Snow remarks, 18 February 1869
Minutes of the 28th Meeting and First Annual Meeting
of the Female Relief Society of the 17th Ward, S.L. City
Deseret News Weekly, 14 April 1869, p. 117


I love that.
I feel like my experience right now brings into exercise every power and faculty I possess. Even my stomach muscles when I barf while driving. After this, I probably should have a six-pack.

Today when I had my PICC line dressing changed, the nurse noticed that one of the stitches holding it into my arm had come out (um, excuse me, how does that just come out? what happened to the part of my arm it was stitched to? where is it?), so I have to get the stitch replaced when I have my spinal tap on Thursday. My last spinal tap, if you were wondering. They just said to be careful that my PICC line doesn't come out. Can you imagine? This little tube that goes all the way up my arm all the way to my heart, just slipping out of my arm? SCARY! So I'm also exercising my arm power to keep that baby in.

Do you know what other power I'm exercising? My faith and hope. Faith in a much higher divine power. Hope in that divine power to carry me through this and beyond, to a life full of love and work and rest and peace.

And as Eliza says, this present life sure doesn't seem desirable a LOT of the time, but if I can strengthen all these weak parts of me, just you wait. Just you wait...

4 comments:

Nielsen Family News said...

I love your insight- reading your thoughts makes me have a desire to be so much more grateful each day for the little things. You are a blessed woman- still making lives better when you are experiencing such hard things! You are my hero!
(Linda Carter Nielsen)

amy smart said...

love you, JR. And so proud of you too. You are an inspiration. When you are done with all of this, I say we celebrate with eclairs in Paris. We can stop by London on the way home and grab some Kebabs too. Maybe catch Les Miz and hit the National Gallery as well. Lets avoid the Vidal Sassoon hair academy this time though.

Lesli said...

Love the ERS quote! And the wonderful way you continue to deal with this extreme health challenge. Thanks for sharing what you are learning and where you are learning it from. Hope the line behaves! Love you so much!

Marian said...

I am so glad you are almost done with those yucky spinal taps. You did it! Thanks for being my inspiration!