Pole, pole

If you saw me with my walking pole on a 1mph walk to church yesterday, you may think the above refers to the two walking poles that travel in the car with us to give me help with balance. The chemo side effects of drained energy and numbed feet mean the above are helpful on the streets of Bishopston, as much as the mountains of Austria that we will visit in 3 weeks time.

But my title was actually suggested by Elaine this morning from the Swahili phrase (slowly,slowly) that was part of the mantra as a team of us climbed Kilimanjaro ten years ago. The phrase is not only descriptive (per above), but from Elaine's point of view prescriptive - she regarded even the walk to church as a step too far!! - from my perspective I feel the need to make at least some effort towards rehabilitation.

There is a definite psychological shift from the last seven months where medical appointments and treatments have prescribed our path (like the snow poles referred to Jan 20), to a season for listening to my own body, and particularly listening to the Spirit for the shape of days and weeks to come. We have a week in Austria booked in August, and two weeks in Albania in September - and presumably somewhere in it all strength will return to body and mind to enable a return to work.

So we are back to those words I wrote on the very first blog - You are with me, your rod and your staff (two more poles!!) they comfort me. (Psalm 23 v4). Pray that we may we rehab well under his correction and protection.

A God story

Was speaking on Skype this am with Miriam, when she said her computer monitor had gone on the blink - lighting up briefly and then going black. I loggged onto Tradeit, the local sales website, typed in monitor, and found one posted last night for sale at £30!! So after chemo, drove to Sth Bristol, and are now in possession of 17" LCD computer monitor including TV tuner!! Amen Lord, Your timing is perfect, and I agree with your idea of a bargain.

Chemo went well today, helped by the extra two week break, but tiredness creeping in this evg- but off to eldership for the first time for a few weeks.