Teetering Where I Shouldn’t

Pickle-ball rocks! I’ve always enjoyed the racket sports as it seems they are the only sport I’m halfway proficient at. I started out as a youngster playing ping-pong and badminton with siblings and friends, and then later with sons and their friends. As a mid-aged adult I found racquetball, and as a senior adult, pickle-ball came on the scene.

The one thing I’ve noticed when playing any of these sports is that being active and involved with people energizes me and lightens my spirits. They say exercise releases the endorphins and dopamine in the brain which are known as hormones of happiness.

I really noticed the lack of these benefits when I recently had surgery and was unable to participate in pickle-ball for several weeks. Thankfully, I was still able to get out and walk – until I rolled my ankle on a rock. I was on a quiet street where no one saw me (thank goodness). I got back on my feet and limped home to the recliner. Ice became my buddy – but she did nothing for my melancholy mood. I thought ice cream and Doritos might help, but they only added pounds to my waistline and guilt to my woes.

I found myself teetering on the edge of the pity-pit. The recent circumstances added to the already existing stresses of life made me feel as vulnerable as krill chased by a blue whale. One more discouraging thought and a feather like nudge could have effortlessly sent me tumbling to the bottom. Ever been there?

One negative thought often breeds another negative thought and so on and so on. I hated feeling this way but I felt powerless to change it. (My idea for mood elevation is to DO something active which I wasn’t able to do at this time.) I needed someone to slap some sense into me. Thankfully, I’m a reader and Charles Spurgeon may as well have taken me by the shoulders and shook me. What I was reading was his take on Isaiah 3:10 that says, “Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.” Pastor Spurgeon expounded on this by saying: In all conditions and under all circumstances, it will be well with the righteous. It is so well with him that we could not imagine it to be better, for he is well fed; he feeds upon the flesh and blood of Jesus. He is well clothed; he wears the imputed righteousness of Christ. He is well housed; he dwells in God. He is well married, his soul is joined in the bonds of marriage union to Christ. He is well provided for; the Lord is his Shepherd. He is well endowed; heaven is his inheritance.

This was exactly the slap and encouragement I needed. How could I teeter on the edge of the pity-pit any longer? When I think of the grace that’s been extended to me I am embarrassed that I allowed myself to even creep to the edge of that disastrous pit. When we call God our Father, we are so very blessed!

Until next time….keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin’.