Soaring With Broken Wings

It’s possible to thrive during adversity when you operate with a Kingdom Agenda.

My son has been running a fever off and on since last night of over 102. I gave him the last of the fever reducing medication this morning when his temp had risen to 102.8, then I ran out on my bike to buy juice, fresh fruit and vegetables, chicken broth and more medicine…then realized that tomorrow is Christmas and with my baby sick, we won’t be going out. So now I needed to get more groceries, not carefully calculating how much I was going to have to carry on my bike. I needed this food so that I could feed myself and my son for the next few days without having to leave him by himself again in case he wasn’t feeling better. (I could be charged with child neglect for this, but this is one of those things single parents sometimes have to do. I have no family in CA, and all my friends were doing their own thing preparing for the holidays, or sleep as it was.) I think I ended up with eleven or twelve bags in addition to the two gallons of water in my backpack. I had no time to complain. Not about the friend who saw me on my way that didn’t offer for me to turn around and take my bike home so he could give me a ride; not about the few neighbors who saw me leave on my bike and didn’t offer me a ride, including the two who I ended up seeing leaving the same store when I was with my cart full of groceries trying to figure out how I was going to get them home, AND that drive large enough SUVs to have carried me, my bike and my groceries; we spoke cheerfully and merrily went on our way to our homes, and ten minutes later I saw their SUVs parked outside on my way to my apt. I don’t have time nor will I muster any energy to complain.

When I got in the house, my son had finished watching the Lion King which he put on as I was leaving, was now watching Lion King 2, and his Bible was next to him. He’d gotten concerned about how long I was gone and also a little sad because if he wasn’t sick he either could have gone with me, or I wouldn’t have had to be gone so long getting so much food because we’d be going to his friend’s Grandma’s for Christmas dinner AND bringing home leftovers. My baby didn’t cry, he didn’t set the house on fire, he didn’t go outside with his friends for company, he pulled out his Bible and began to read it and pray for God’s healing. Right now we don’t have a lot of things that many people take for granted. We already lived for about 3 years using the freezer part of my refrigerator as the refrigerator, but ended up getting one almost brand new with an ice-maker for $200 within two weeks of praying w/the Pastor of the church to which I now belong. I got my first real bed after five years without one: a king sized, leather head/foot-board w/matching floor to ceiling leather-framed mirror, for free. I’m able to afford living without a roommate for the first time in four years. Again, we don’t have a lot of things, but trouble doesn’t last always, and while I’m going through my challenges, I’m soaring with broken wings.
Last year, today I lost my best friend in this world to cancer and other complications. This year I smile for her, her children and surviving family members, Charlie Murphy and his children, Brittany Murphy’s loved ones… This year, I just smile. Merry Christmas to everyone!