Thankful

After being ill for the whole of June this year (2020), with what turned out to be pneumonia, I'm very thankful to be well again. In fact, I realise just how many people there are to thank, and how many things to be thankful for. I recently spoke about all of these in a short video for our online church meetings (live.urbanvoice.org.za), and I thought I'd recap them here.

I'm grateful to be part of a church family: a group of people who prayed for me and messaged and phoned both me and my family with encouragement and support.

Within that church family is a smaller group, my Life Group, who arrived with meals (from sausage and mash to beef stroganoff!). They also kept a check on how my family was managing, as well as praying for me.

Another part of the church family is the Worship Team of which Steve and I are a part. They sent an extravagant, gorgeous bunch of flowers. Every time I looked at it, I was reminded of God's love for me, and their love and care too. The flowers lasted for weeks, unfolding and blooming.

Something I didn't add in the video (I had a time-limit) is how I couldn't work for about six weeks - yet finances where taken care of. One job paid me generous sick-leave, while from another came some back-pay owed to me; and a royalty payment came through.

At home, my husband Steve took over most of my chores, from laundry to cooking, and nursed me as well. In the context of current affairs and COVID-19, we could be thankful that he was still working from home, and so was able to manage all this. My two teenage boys carried on as normal, and even brought their Mom tea a few times!

There's a song that says, "What a friend we have in Jesus" - and indeed I found this to be true. While I was ill, I had no energy for anything, even reading; and there were long periods of just lying still, or waiting. During these times, I remembered all the dark days that Jesus has walked me through - and the good and joyful times too.

The Holy Spirit brought to mind bible verses and songs to encourage or soothe me; and there were special moments of comfort and help. One in particular happened when I went for an MRI scan:

In the MRI, you lie completely still while your brain is scanned. This means your head is immobilized in a kind of vice. To make sure there's no movement, a kind of "sponge" is also wedged in on each side of your head. At the time I had the scan, I'd had a fever and unrelenting headaches for several weeks - and that day was no different. The grip of the head-hold could have been frightening and claustrophobic and almost unbearable. Instead, into my mind dropped the image of two hands holding my head firmly but lovingly. What is more, I knew whose hands they were: the hands of a school-friend whom I hadn't seen for years. I hadn't even been in touch with her recently - yet I had a clear picture and tangible sense of care and compassion. I can only describe this as a special gift from God in that moment.

That's my "thankfulness" list. I'd like to end with a kind of summary to encourage you:

• if you are sick, allow others to help and bless you
• turn to God in whatever way you can
• whether sick or well, pray for one another
• if you are praying for the sick, pray for faith and peace along with healing
• give thanks