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Saturday, June 21, 2008

Hope, Health, and Happiness

So my birthday came and went...with little notice from me. Because I didn't care. Because I was so sick.

On Thursday about mid-afternoon I was hit with some kind of a bug, which I suspect may be some form of food poisoning. The weird element to it, though, was the joint and muscle aches...it was just awful! So between thinking food was killing me or maybe I got the flu, I didn't know what to do.

Yesterday morning I was still miserable, but unfortunately, I don't currently have the luxury of calling in sick; I HAD to be at work as this is one of the biggest weekends of my year, going into the biggest week from Hell of my year. Apparently God saw fit to make me suffer even more for it, so I struggled to "offer it up" and I think I failed miserably. But we made it, and we all got a lot accomplished. More to do today, and some things I realized I forgot.

Today I'm feeling better, and very excited that I can drink coffee again! I'm convinced that the worst possible torture is to be deprived of coffee AND have to go to work and keep smiling.

It's going to be several crazy days, so right now I'm just thankful that perhaps I can begin eating something other than chicken broth and a few saltines.

Last night my Mom called, of course, and she was aware that I was sick and really not interested in food; I was both torturously hungry from not having eaten solid food in over 24 hours, and paradoxically, the idea of eating was worse than a thousand deaths?

So what was her first question? Where do I want to go out to eat when we celebrate my birthday? I nearly fell over just trying not to think about food! I told her we could talk about it later. And then, typical Mom-style (YOU know...!), she goes on talking about a friend of hers and where they went to eat and began to detail the restaurant...

I had to cut her off...I could not listen to more about food! I think she managed to abstain from that topic from that point on. Thankfully.

Today I think I can contemplate eating, even if I find I can't really eat. I'm just excitd to have a cup of coffee! Yay!

Hmmm...apparently there IS something to fasting, especially one brutally enforced. This morning, even in the remnants of sickness, the world is more beautiful than it has been in...well, a few days at least! And I have so much more appreciation for the small things.

God is so good...maybe this sickness really was a special birthday gift to me, straight from His heart to mine?
*

14 comments:

Hidden One said...

“The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from all eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost Heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with His loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.”

~St. Francis de Sales

Padre Steve said...

Belated Happy Birthday! And, I hope you feel better!

Anonymous said...

God bless you on your birthday, sweetie. You gotta get better quick so you can celebrate with your family!! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm officially the worst cyber-friend ever... sorry I missed your Bday. Good news is, there's no time w/ God and I can still pray sprical for you ... and I will. BLESSINGS....

Anonymous said...

Yes, Happy Birthday. And I can relate about family contacts being really interesting.

Monte

Melody K said...

Stomach flu is the worst! I'm sorry you were sick on your birthday. (BTW, belated Happy Birthday). I'm glad you're going to celebrate later, when you are hopefully feeling much better.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, everyone. (You do realize my bday was YESTERDAY, right?) lol

Anyway, I wasn't going to celebrate with my family this weekend...work dominated and I am NOT a fun person to be around when I'm stressed and focused on something so huge as this project at work!

But next weekend hopefully will be better.

I'm going to try eating real food tonight. I'm so excited! And HUNGRY!

Argent said...

Oh, no, Adoro....was it the cyber-cake I sent you at Facebook?

I'm glad you were able to have coffee...I agree that a day without coffee is torture...and you had to smile, too, on top of all the suffering? Ack!

Adoro said...

lol...I GUARANTEE it wasn't the cyber-cake!

A day without coffee is like...hmm...all the good cliches are taken...hrmph!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! I started reading your blog around your birthday last year. You were talking about turning 33 and how Jesus was 33 when he was crucified. Funny thing, that allthough I knew that, I never thought about being the same age as Jesus was. My birthday is one day before yours, and I turned 33 also so maybe I wasn't used to being so old. Happy Brithday, after this year we can start the climb up to 40. I'm sorry you were so sick and so busy. It is amazing how when you recover from an illness, you become hyper-aware of how good you feel. Makes you grateful for sure. When you get to go and celebrate it will be all the better!
-Jennifer

PS Since we are the same age I read your blog with a special interest. Your writing has really touched me and I am sure that other readers have been helped spiritually also. Is it possible that growth could take place in an outward fashion, and not in a linear fashion?

Adoro said...

Well, Jennie, Happy Birthday to YOU, sister! LOL!

If it's all the same to you, though, I don't want to think about being 40 yet...34 is just fine, thank you very much! :-)

Jennie, thank you for reading, and I do think our true growth is SUPPOSED to be an outward growth. And I think we all struggle with that. That's why sainthood is so hard, I guess. * sigh *

But we can keep trying, right?!

Anonymous said...

speaking of FB... I still haven't found you... find me!

uncle jim said...

i still gotta get a card to my sister whose birthday was yesterday, too ... oh - you're my sister, too - hope you got the e-card - still gotta get one to my blood sister, and she doesn't do computers so an e-card won't work for her
have a good Lord's Day

Adoro said...

Uncle Jim ~ No, I didn't get the e-card! I'll check my spam folder in case it went there.

Hope you also have an incredible Sunday!