FORCED REST

God has placed me in a major FORCED REST. The doctor emphatically declared, "DO NOTHING/COMPLETE REST" for at least several weeks, but possibly several months. Yikes! Why? Diagnosis: post-viral pericarditis. This is my best opportunity to completely heal, or else I might battle pericarditis the rest of my life.

I am an exerciser, biker, walker, runner and as my son says, "Mom, this is quite possibly the hardest/worst thing you will ever have to do, but please, please do it-we want you to get better." 

Since pericarditis is chest pain and extreme fatigue, turns out, it is easy to rest. At first, looking at and deleting lots of old email (and finding a few buried treasures), phone calls, texts, podcasts, a little TV, but that is not really very restful. Now reading books, journaling, some porch rocking chair visits with friends. I am so thankful for current Bible studies, devotions, quiet time, etc., and just hearing God's peace and comfort. My second story bedroom has a wall of windows with a little sitting area-my family affectionately calls it Grandpa and Grandma's “tree house". I love sitting in my recliner, gentle breezes, lovely birds' songs (until they stop around 1:00 pm-apparently the birds take a siesta-HA), or sitting on my back patio under the trees by our peaceful fountain. I am so thankful for big windows, beautiful blue skies, recliners, great medical care and medicines, for my incredible family, for friends who have reached out to us. I am thankful I do not have little children whom I am taking care of, nor an intense job that is pushing me back to work.

Generally I have been very involved with the ministry of Concordia High School..."go and make disciples" what better place than local teens? Teenage years-so important for faith development and launching into life. Future Christian leaders of homes, churches, our nation, etc. With our chaotic world, I delight in helping with a joy-filled, faith-filled place for teens to spend their days learning and growing.

My kids are all thriving in faith, family, careers, all more than 1000 miles away, but still very "close" lots of visits, texts, facetime, etc. I have been with most of them in person most of the months in 2026. In September, I will have 7 grandchildren under 7 years old. Lots of facetime visits with grandkids. (A few weeks ago I read books to my 6 yr old grandson for over 2 hrs on FT!) Still opportunities for encouraging and  influencing the next generations with God's Word.

My husband continues to provide compassionate complex care to many many patients whom he considers his friends. (His goal is to make every patient laugh during their visit and send them out with a remedy for their problems!) He is becoming very unique in the medical world that sadly now is very focused on numbers. He does not want to abandon his people. Walking away will be hard. He is getting older and appreciates my support in just handling everything at home (before pericarditis!) and my encouragement so he can continue on. Retirement timing is constantly in our prayers and discussions.

Having this unknown time frame-very hard! But do we know any time frame? All we really know is that we are in God's hand!!  “ It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deut. 31:8

I am torn between this sweet REST with all responsibilities released versus wanting to get back to ahhh just a nice bike ride on the trail, walking up stairs at normal pace without chest pain, working with my people and responsibilities for the mission of CHS, and running and playing with my precious grandchildren, etc. 

Here are very specific verses God has given me for this time-through my Bible readings or what people have sent to me :

2 Cor. 12:9-10 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. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Praying that I can have complete recovery, but ultimately I know that God's will is best!!

May God bless and keep you and yours-especially in the unexpecteds.

If you have any stories about pericarditis from your family and friends, please share them with me.

Resources for REST from "Run Hard. Rest Well."

Power of a Kayak

 "Should we take it?" 

That question was always asked as we prepared to pack for our annual trip to Lake Powell. Initially friends insisted on loaning us a kayak; eventually as a family we "earned" a kayak. (Read about it here.)

On the one hand, the kayak added a lot of weight to our already heavily loaded vehicle transporting the six of us, plus everything we needed-food, bedding, books, clothing (mostly swim suits), etc.- for the middle of nowhere for two weeks. Additionally it was one more item to load and unload from the car in the desert heat.

But almost every year the kayak made the cut. Why? Because on the other hand, the kayak could stop and go.

GO 

In various spots on Lake Powell, potty stations are set up. Beaching the houseboat near the Rincon around mile marker 77 is always one of our favorite spots. (The fact that military planes sometimes buzz by low in the canyon is just one of the reasons we love it.) Nearby is one of the potty stations and the perfect way to get there is a nice quiet kayak run. (Yes, the houseboat has a tiny bathroom with a small potty, but you never want to risk it filling up before the vacation is over.)

One scary night, when we were returning from an emergency in the dark, we were trying to navigate our little motor boat around the rocks to return to the houseboat. Because of lack of depth perception in the dark, we needed another point of reference. Daniel took the kayak out with a big flashlight to help solve the problem. Thank God, for the kayak. 

If you are a high school boy at Lake Powell, it is a long way away from the girls back home in Wisconsin. If you have a particular sweety you want to talk to, you need to navigate to where you can see the cell tower at the top Navajo Mountain. ...Often from one of the locations we frequent on the lake, you can see Navajo from the top of the rocks on the other side of the main channel about one mile away. The kayak is the perfect mode of transportation to get to the opposite side of the lake in order to climb the rocks at a chance for cell service. 

STOP

Although, we often have a houseboat full of people (read more here), part of the allure of Lake Powell is quiet time. You are a speck in the grandeur around you. You want to soak it all in.  A quiet paddle in the kayak to rest in the middle of nowhere is ideal. God designed us to rest-physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally. In Mark 6:31 Jesus said, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." (One of Lake Powell theme verses.) Our kayak time is valuable rest time. Rest is not just for the summer, but all seasons. To find more resources check out Run Hard. Rest Well.  How can you find rest?

We thank our friends, the Webbs, who began our tradition of the kayak, a tool for both going and stopping.