Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Ah, yes...those "Footprints".......

I went to a tinnitus support meeting last night. I really didn't want to, it being a holiday weekend, and such. But that still, quiet...NAGGING voice urged me to collect myself and go anyway. I'm glad I did. We had some new recruits that were really suffering, and one woman is exactly where I was a year ago. Her daughter had brought her in from Burleson...they made the trip because she was so agitated by the noises in her head. She has 2 or 3 noises, like me. The leader of the group and I were able to do a lot in the way of encouragement, I think, and I made a date to meet this gal midway between our cities to give her some books and CDs that might help her.
This morning I was reflecting on the past year after a few weird dreams about it last night. For some reason that story about "Footprints" popped into my head. I thought about how relevant that story, if overused, is in my life, and I'm sure, yours. I started a dialogue with our Big Daddy, unbeknownst to my conscious mind, and here's what transpired:
Me: "Lord, I see those footprints. Sometimes there is only one set...sometimes there are two."
Father: "Child, the times there was only one set are the times that I carried you."
Me, knowing how our Father wipes away our transgressions: "Thank you, Lord...for helping me. But, Father...I see sometimes that it looks as if the footprints have been swept away...I see no prints, just swirls and ridges in the sand!"
Father: "Ah, yes, my beloved child. Those are the many times I had to drag you through something!"
And, so it was.

5 comments:

Bar L. said...

Karen, I love this! What a great illustration - I am sure i have a bunch of drag marks in the sand too.

Somehow I never realized until now that you suffer with tinnitus. I have a mild case that gets really bad under certain circumstances. How cool that you got to meet this woman last night - that you allowed God to DRAG you to the meeting. I know you blessed her, you always do me!

(do you ever sleep with headphones on? sometimes that's the only way I can handle the quiet nights).

PS since your blog will not allow me to use my Typepad ID, I have to use my other blogger user ID - this is Barbara. I am probably confusing everyone as Layla, but I forgot my other blogger id!

Helen said...

HI Karen, living with Tinitus must be very hard, I can't imagine what this must feel like, I bet you are an encouragement to others at the group.

I like your version of footprints, it is a beautiful description and one we can relate to, I also smiled at 'c fish' comment on his footprints - that is so true of me sometimes!

Have a good week,

Helen x.

kc bob said...

Hey Karen! You are a magnificent soul. Your post reminded me of this ...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

... thanks for comforting that woman who is a year behind you in the journey.

karen said...

KB and all....you are sweet, and each one of you would do the same thing....you are all fabulous ministers....especially to me! :-)

Geo said...

I posted something like this here
http://geoplans.blogsome.com/2006/06/26/footprints-revisited/
the other day

Peace
Geo