...but at least I now know that I shouldn't go to Africa. Not that I was even thinking about doing so, but Emily is and if I ever entertained the idea of joining her, I'm quite positive it would be a bad idea.
I learned a long time ago what foods (sugar, grains, high carb fruits and veggies, etc.) are likely to cause my crohn's to flare, and I've been successful at avoiding them for some time now, but lately I've been pushing the edge a little and Sunday night at a missions banquet at church I went all out. Typical African meal - beans and rice and cornbread. Though I worked through it, by Monday I was in considerable pain. Yesterday I wasn't sure I was going to live. It was that bad.
The worst of it was not being able to do the things others were counting on me to do - like watching Gavin and helping my elderly friend with her bath and housekeeping. And poor Emily, she was so worried about me yesterday that she called Louis to come home from work. It was that bad.
My doctor thinks I probably picked up a stomach virus on top of the crohn's flare which is why yesterday was so awful, but the good news is that today is much better and by tomorrow I can probably start eating again.
When I printed it out Sunday evening, "sick days" were not on my schedule for the week. There was no way I could have seen what awaited me just around the corner, but as I wrote in
"Fear of the unknown" on Washing the Feet of the Saints this morning...
The truth is, none of us know what awaits us around the corner, but God does... in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
~ Psalm 139:16
I also know that when life gets hard, God's wisdom and grace will be abundant for the moment. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
*Photo - a particularly spunky fox squirrel who could not be chased away from the bird feeders for more than a minute or two. After finally getting his fill of bird seed, he plopped down on a limb to rest.
