A Day of Rest

We brought my mother in law to spend the day at our house so we could give her a day of rest from trying to remember to use the call button at the Nursing Home. She had a black eye from her fall and the ensuing stitches, but seemed otherwise unscathed. Our home is not wheelchair accessible, and Arvo and I had to lift her wheelchair up the porch steps. She is light, but wheelchairs are not. We will need to make some changes if I am ever to bring her over for the day all by myself. I got her settled on the most comfy recliner in the world in front of the Olympics on our nice big TV, covered her with a soft shawl, put a cup of tea and sliced peaches at her end table, and figured she was good for a whole afternoon. Arvo and Asherel sat down to watch the Olympics too. This was as good a time as any, I thought, to make my getaway.

I took my bicycle out in the steamy hot afternoon, and pedaled off to the bike path Greenway. At least once I got to the Greenway, I would be in shade. It felt so wonderful to empty my mind, since hot air rises and all thoughts were shoved out of my brain and replaced with sauna like heat. It is good to sometimes empty one's head of all the cold harsh reality and let dangerous levels of hot nothingness enter in. I looked for creatures along the route. I usually spot a few. I saw the tail of a deer vanishing in the underbrush out of the corner of my eye. I scanned the trees and creek shore for herons, or owls, or some other sign of life out on the blistery day but the only other living creature I passed was an enormous black snake. The snake rushed off the path when he heard me approaching, for which I thanked him. It was just me and the Greenway and the hot air then...and of course, God. God was staying in the background along with the creatures, though. He didn't slam me over the head with any message, or scolding, or guidance. He seemed to feel that the peace and quiet of an uneventful bike ride on a hot day was what my soul needed. It was as though He had put me in a recliner with my feet up, wrapped me in a hot shawl, put sustenance at my right hand, and then left me to rest.

Matthew 11:29 (NIV)
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.




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