TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2021 (A DAY WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY)

 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2021 (A DAY WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY)

Lessons I needed to relearn - part II - self-love/self-talk.

16 hours in a car over two days coming back from Phoenix (and 16 hours in a car going to Phoenix earlier in the week) was ENOUGH.  

CONGESTION

Now, let’s add on some things.  Someplace along the line, I had picked up a little stuffy nose and a little cough.  Arizona isn’t quite allergy-free.  So, sleeping with a stuffy nose and congestion meant that I snored by breathing through my mouth.  So, not necessarily sleeping well.  

NAPS

I had tried a couple of naps coming back from my sister’s house.  I just to be great in-car naps (my wife would go into a quilt store and I’d recline my seat and nap).  If I woke up before she was done, I’d walk around the block.  

TOOTH/MOUTH ACHE

I’m having some “didn’t take good enough care of your teeth issues”.  My dentist tells me that three of my upper front teeth are pretty much shot and will need to be replaced - soon.  (Aside, I’ve had great dentists and less great dentists.  I think I helped put Dentist O’s kids through college and helped him buy a boat.  Dentist T was talking to his aide when he saw me and how much he hated his ex, and how he was trying to cheat her out of his money.  But, Bernie S in Madison, you were great!!!)

I think I had bitten into a large Dorito chip - you know - the ones with the three corners.  I don’t know better, but I think I may have shoved one of the corners into my gum and while I can’t say so, think I might have broken off part of the corner in my gum.  BOY was sensitive and angry at me.  (So, you take too many aspirins (acetaminophen) to help with the pain and dull the rest of your body).

BODY ACHE

My self-talk was that I was going to get out of my car every couple of hours, walk around, get some fresh air, and relax.  But, once I’m behind the wheel, I’m Dale Earnhardt and need to keep pushing it.  No, I didn’t have anybody else to share the driving with as in previous long trips - just me - and just me behind the wheel.

NUTRITION

Okay, I had unsweet tea, coffee in my thermos, grapes, and soft cheese curls in the car with me.  I drove through McDonald's and got a beverage and a sandwich.  (Aside - I guess I’m making it public - there aren’t as many rest areas and convenience stores in some of those areas and (um) used the side of the road to (um) relieve myself three times.  And, (um) it is a little different (um) relieving myself now.  

TRAFFIC

I left my Sister’s house at 7:00 mountain time on Sunday.  Many others who had driven to visit family over Thanksgiving were on the road as well.  And, east of El Paso, there was road construction, and all of us eastbound vehicles were on a two-lane road in the dark.  That didn’t help my headache at all - the lights of oncoming cars, the driving slower than I wanted to on a two-lane road.  

AND - a PRESSURE POINT

I was leading a class of 20 students from China on Monday morning at 7:00 a.m. from my hotel room - and I needed to do more planning and preparation.  

When I got to my hotel about 9:00 (I went through a chicken restaurant drive-through) I tried to put it together and it wasn’t working.  I told my friend (who had convinced me “You can do it Karen”), that I was “brain dead”.  I dropped off to sleep quickly - but got up about every hour to relieve myself more.  (Aside, when people say “Don’t drink and drive”, they mean don’t drink alcohol - but in my case, just water is almost a no-no.  My 74-year-old bladder isn’t quite as flexible as it once was!!) I did get up at 6:15, got a cup of coffee, and did put together enough material to get through the class!!!  (And, special thanks to my friend who really carried me!!)

TO THE POINT

When I got home to Georgetown Texas about 6 pm on Monday, November 29th. I was definitely NOT a Pollyanna.  I was complaining.  (Please excuse my language there is a word I don’t say that jumps out).  I felt like shit.  I don’t say that normally.  It is not part of my normal vocabulary.  

I felt like shit. (period)

Tired, achy, headache, congested, hungry, burned out.  Soon, I was allowing my brain to ignore the GIGO rule (Garbage In, Garbage Out).  I had COVID!!  That had to be it.  In the throng of 100,000 people on Friday night at the Phoenix Zoo holiday light show, I had caught the terrible pandemic of COVID.  It had to be.  I dragged my way through Tuesday   I got myself excused from orchestra rehearsal, from work on Wednesday and Thursday, and got my primary care physician to authorize a Covid test on Wednesday morning.  

Ephesians 4:29 says “Let no corrupting communication come out of your mouths”.  Well, my mouth was spewing corrupt communication.  I feel bad, I have Covid, I am tired, yuck, yuck.

So, the lesson I relearned was positive self-talk.  I could have said to myself “Hey sleep it off, you’ll be better in a day.”  But, not I was saying to myself “I feel like crap” (after the fact, my language could have been better).  

I profess that I am to “love my neighbor as myself” - but I wasn’t loving myself - so how could I love my neighbor?

So far this week, I’ve written of two lessons I relearned:

One - draw close to God and He will draw close to you. (but I hadn’t been in worship for four weeks).

Two - don’t bad talk to yourself - keep the garbage out of your words - speak words of encouragement, joy, love, and peace!!

And, (of course), the test for Covid came back negative.  I was just tired, achy, sore, with a headache, slight fever - for nothing.  No “I have Covid” medal.  No sympathy for the tired achy driver (who did the damage to herself.

*****

So now, a week later I’m finally better (although I did take an extra nap yesterday!!!)

And, tomorrow - another lesson I need to relearn - money.

LOVE DOES WIN (Karen, repeat that a million times to yourself!!!)

Karen