Getting my Attention

Once, I got a concussion vacuuming, and yesterday I broke my toe grocery shopping. Once again, I believe I have conclusively proven that housework is hazardous to your health. Fortunately it is 105 degrees outside, so I wasn't going anywhere but the nearest AC vent anyway. I am sitting in my recliner, foot elevated under an icepack, moaning. Who would imagine such a tiny toe could cause such horrible pain?

I had hoped to go visit Comer yesterday, but it hurt too unbearably bad to put any weight on my foot. I called him though to see how he was doing.
"Not good Sugar," he said, his speech slurry again.
"Oh I am sorry," I told him, "I wanted to come read to you today, but I can't move. Guess what stupid fool thing I did? I broke my toe."
"Oh no!" said Comer, " I am sorry to hear that! How did you do that?"
"Well I was wrestling an alligator that came into our house and kicked it right in its snout.... killed that sucker, but my little toe was shattered."

Oh well. It could have been glamorous and brave- I am quite certain people *do* break their toes doing glamorous and brave things, but as we know, grocery shopping is rarely either.

I told Comer that as soon as I could drive without passing out from the pain, I would come visit. Maybe in a day or two. I got off the phone and looked sadly at my toe. Last year, I broke the little toe on the other foot. It took a year to be pain free. I am not happy about this at all.

It feels like punishment. There is never a shortage of things I should be receiving punishment for, so I nestled in my chair thinking about divine retribution. I prayed about the many things that uncover me for the wretched creature that I am, and then looked up a bible verse about broken bones. I knew one verse about bones- just as prophesied, not one of Jesus' bones would be broken. But then I came to the verse in Lamentations about how God has broken the poor holy whiner's bones. He goes on for many verses to describe his feeling of despair, abandonment, and anger over his broken bones. I could totally relate as my foot throbbed. And then comes one of the greatest verses of all scripture: Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed

Broken bones get my attention, but God has got my soul.

Lamentations 3:4,18-23 (NIV)
He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones. [18] So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord.” [19] I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. [20] I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. [21] Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: [22] Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

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