It’s race day.  This day had been postponed due to unseasonably prolonged rains.  Now the summer sun is finally shining and our fans are eager to cheer us on.  My horse has trained for years and has intensely trained for the past four months.  I’ve taken care to feed him well.  We’ve reviewed the course and planned our strategy.  The race fees have been paid and regulations followed exactly.  We’re primed and in a positive frame of mind.  “Let’s get ‘er done!”

We approach the starting gate.  Excitement pumps through our veins.  This is what all the preparation was about.  Entering our gate, I feel something is amiss.  My horse stumbles slightly as he takes his place.  His eyes widen and I know he’s in pain.  What could have happened?  I wasn’t aware of any injury.  Before I can process the situation, the gate flies open.  My suffering horse makes a brave attempt at a start but falters and stands there shaking with pain.  Head drooping, he limps off the track.

Ready, set, wait is never what we want to hear.  But it was our experience recently.  Great anticipation followed by disappointment.  After months of planning and waiting, my husband and I finally received the building permits to begin construction on our house.  The foundation was poured and it was our turn to begin to work on our house.  The rains had finally stopped and now was our chance to advance.  But no.  My husband’s sharp rib pain made heavy work impossible.  With no idea what caused the pain or how long it would last, our hopes for a fast start were dashed.  We cringed at the close of each day because it meant one less day in the narrow no-rain window of our Pacific Northwest area.  What if this problem persists?  Our budget doesn’t allow much leeway to cover paying for wages.  We counted on doing it ourselves.  If he can’t work this summer, we could be set back a year in our building plans.  An extra year in our RV.  The cloud of approaching Fall and Winter rains cast dreariness in our hearts.

A diagnosis of separated ribs was some consolation.  There was an explanation and he’ll recover.  But when?  Soon enough to make use of the precious, fleeting days of good weather?  Two weeks crawl by without improvement.   Plan B and Plan C and D are made.  Frustration, pain, worry, anger.  But what should we learn from this situation?  We talk, we pray, we share our burden with godly people who love us.  We realize we need to be reminded that our human effort, while commendable, isn’t the end-all.  Every breath we take is from God and He alone is the final word.  Our sufficiency isn’t in our ability and work ethic.  Our sufficiency is God, himself.  He supplies health and strength, will, and ability enough for what He wants us to accomplish.   That doesn’t leave any room for self-inflating pride.   If God is in charge, what’s to worry about?  If his intentions toward us are good, what can go wrong?  If he is a loving Father, what more could we ask?  We relax a little.  Surely God’s timing isn’t flawed.  The One who spoke the galaxies into being and keeps the stars on their regular courses can certainly arrange our schedule.  The fact that he concerns himself with our few years on this tiny planet in the vastness of space boggles the mind.  Why does he even care about our small lives?  But we cling to him and to his promises of love and care.  Scripture comforts us.  We accept input and help from those who love us.

We run through our health care options for pain.  Drugs or ?  We see we haven’t tried an obvious avenue.  If the pain is now muscles injured in the displacement of the ribs, and not the actual ribs which are now in back in place, maybe a massage therapist could bring some relief.  Bingo!  We approach a young massage therapist at church Sunday morning.  Would you try to help us?  Soon?  The following morning we are in her office.  The three of us are tentative about the outcome, but what’s to loose?  She’s compassionate, capable and listened for clues to help her address any contributing issues.  That afternoon I heard noise in the outbuilding.  My husband is stapling up insulation!  He is finishing the building that protects our well tank and provides storage for tools- the last thing to be completed before the work on the house begins.  The next morning he and a young teen helper are laying the sill plate on the foundation, the first step in building our house.  I watch the two of them carrying, measuring, cutting and drilling.  And I feel God’s smile.

P.S.   I’m not in any way proposing that God is obligated to fix things the way we want.  He is in charge and he does things according to his higher ways that we may not be able to understand.  Our health can take a turn for the worse at any moment and that’s OK.  God has a good plan and we’re glad!  (Even when it doesn’t look the way we’d hoped it would.)