Broadsided!

1:57 p.m. Today's project was to get up at 5:30, which was ludicrous at the outset, because I'd gone to bed late finishing up my blog post and texting plans for today with my daughter .Normally I get up at 6, the care giver arrives at 6:30, and the day goes on from there. The next two days, our student Jung needs to be at UCR at 8 a.m., so I needed the extra 1/2 hour for my devotions and shower. Or so I thought.

Steve had a restless night, so sleep was sporadic. But I got up at 5:45 with a sour stomach and dreadfully tired. Got the coffee pot going, emptied quite a bit of the dishwasher's contents, and set up Steve's breakfast. I also got a couple of eggs cracked into a bowl so that Jung could have fried eggs or scrambled.

Then, wham! I was throwing up quarts of liquid and food--my own cooking, no less--and feverishly cleaning it up while watching the clock. Once I managed to get seated, I read Spurgeon's devotional, the January 4th morning offering with the theme of growth: to grow in grace, love, humility and nearness to Christ. I quickly freshened up a did some basic facial and foundation, and read my Bible. I was in the last chapter of Nehemiah, where he carries his reforms to the people, to which they made a covenant, and Nehemiah even "contended with them, and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair" of men who had married idolatrous wives! (Nehemiah 13:25) 

As I was upstairs in bed, dozing for several hours, I heard what sounded like Jehovah Witnesses at the door. How I LONGED to get up out of that bed and confront them and their lying doctrine! But, that was impossible. Even more pleasing to my ears, however, was hearing Steven contending with them briefly, definitely holding his own, fighting the Lord's battle against "deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (I Timothy 4:1). One of my goals as a Christian parent is to have trained my children so thoroughly in biblical doctrine that they can overcome these "Traveling Bands of Liars," (Galatians: An Exploration of Faith & Freedom, Chapter  19).

Now recovering, I am grateful for some real rest, which I had denied myself--actually denied to myself that I needed. The body will have its due nutrients and healthy habits, one way or the other, or become seriously ill, not just sick for 5 hours. Let me being heeding that wisdom!

Spiritually, we need to feed and tend our relationship with the Lord daily, hour by hour, choice by choice.   What a blessing that we have the Word written, teachers and pastors to give us deeper meaning and practical application, and Christian friends to keep us accountable.

Let's not get broadsided!