A Pain in the Neck!

One of the occupational hazards I ended up with when I was in the training profession was ‘Cervical Spondylosis’. Well what with being 8 hours on your feet and constant movement of the neck to ensure your gaze encompasses the entire room, and with stretching your neck to write on the white board, I ended up with a nagging pain in the neck. When the pain got severe, I visited the doctor, who post X-rays and tests diagnosed a mild case of ‘Cervical Spondylosis’. Physiotherapy was prescribed and that brought me much relief.

2 years went by without incidence when last week a mild pain hit my neck again. I resumed my physiotherapy exercises. I was scheduled to visit Pune with colleagues for a launch on Thursday – 27th October, when I woke up in the middle of the night with one of the worst pains in my neck that I could ever have imagined. I couldn’t sit nor sleep and spent the night slowly pacing up and down as the pain radiated down from my neck to my shoulders and back. I had so much looked forward to this Pune trip but to my disappointment had to skip it. When I could manage to move about a little I headed for the doc, who said that the aggravation was on account of ‘stress’and that I should ‘Relax’. Great! It was only post the painkillers that I could get some relief.

‘Cervical Spondylosis’ when it hits one, can be a real pain in the neck! I am still on pain killers though the stiffness has reduced to an extent. I had an important meeting on Friday so thanks to the painkillers I was able to make it to office, though the trip up and down was torture and the medication made me a lil ‘woozy’! I have been advised to go for physiotherapy treatment as it’s too painful yet to do the neck exercises. The neck pain usually lasts for a week or more depending on the treatment one undergoes.

I am looking forward to my December vacation, so that I can do what the doc advised –De-Stress and RELAX!

Something Beautiful...

Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: "How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good-bye to her son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.

"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked.

Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. "I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom." She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say I LOVE YOU. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good-bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?' "God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from: God, Jesus & Me.

Some things are important in Life, for the Rest...

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else--the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

God’s Answer

You Say: "It's impossible"
God Says: All things are possible
(Luke 18:27)

You Say: "I'm too tired"
God Says: I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)

You Say: "Nobody really loves me"
God Says: I love you
(John 3:16 & John 3:34 )

You Say: "I can't go on"
God Says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You Say: "I can't figure things out"
God Says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

You Say: "I can't do it"
God Says: You can do all things
(Philippians 4:13)

You Say: "I'm not able"
God Says: I am able
(II Corinthians 9:8)

You Say: "It's not worth it"
God Says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )

You Say: You Say: "I can't forgive myself"
God Says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You Say: "I can't manage"
God Says: I will supply all your needs
(Philippians 4:19)

You Say: "I'm afraid"
God Says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
(II Timothy 1:7)

You Say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God Says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)

You Say: "I'm not smart enough"
God Says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)

You Say: "I feel all alone"
God Says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)