Friday Ramblings: Sabbatical

Sabbatical:

Coming from the Hebrew word "shabat", it literally means a ceasing.

It's a rest from work, or a break, lasting two months to a year.

In being halted from doing lots of things I normally do, I am tentatively looking at the time my shoulder break needs to heal as a sort of "sabbatical", or a gift.

A good thing. 

A novel concept, huh?

Seeing this whole ridiculous time in my life as a gift?

Unfortunately, my first thoughts are, "Why? Why should I see this broken shoulder time as a break? A rest? A gift?"

Rest isn't something I naturally do for an extended time, all though it's something I often think about.

Honestly?

I can struggle all I want. 

Or all I think I need to. Which, really is just pride. 

It doesn't do me much good, 'cause my shoulder just isn't going to work.

I am deciding to learn during these days.

I desire to learn to accept this accident as a gift of restorative time.

And if I deny this TIME I have been given, aren't I shaming the Gift-giver?

So, each day, I will purposely open this gift. 

Savor it.

Lean into it.

Find quietness in it.

Find more of myself in it.

Find the beauty in it.

Hoping you will find a gift of time to open just for you today.

Paint Party Friday

Friday Ramblings: Broken

Well, hello!

It's been a while, so I'll just spend a little time catching up as typing isn't so fun right now.

Our girl graduated with flying colors.

She had a blast, gave an aMAZing speech with her bestest friend in front of the huge crowd, marched herself across the stage for her diploma and showed us all what living in the present moment is all about.

However, her sister and I were a weepy MESS.

So. Many. Emotions.

We managed to forget to take a family photo, but I did get one with her super teacher.

LOVE HER.

After graduation and all the celebration, we had the house tented for termites.

Oh, wait. I forgot about the great ant invasion BEFORE graduation.

Yep.

A large colony decided to make itself known two days before all the graduation company came.

They, along with the dreaded termites, are gone now, hopefully to never be seen again.

When we hit the hotel where we stayed while the house was being tented, I don't think I moved for a solid three hours.

I also learned crappy hotel coffee tastes divine in bed.

We moved back into the house, which took three days. It's pretty cool what I can do with only my left arm and Brenna as my right arm.

After putting the house back together, I had an MRI done on my shoulder and got the results:

Fractured outside wall of the shoulder, contusion on the rotator cuff and inflammation of the bicep  muscle.

I am actually rejoicing, because this means NO SURGERY!!!

It also means no lifting with my right arm for six weeks, but I'll take broken and bruised over surgery any day.

photo by brenna

And art? 

Seriously cannot NOT do it. 

I am learning to do some (lots of) things with my left hand and am realizing if I take my time,  don't move my arm, but just move the paper, I can do small, simple journal entries.

Or, I can move my arm a lot more and then spend quite a bit of time icing my shoulder.

Whatever.

thankful for peel away letter masks by Hazel & Ruby

These summer days, I'm learning more than I ever imagined about rest.

About being needy and vulnerable.

About being thankful, the present moment, grace and a huge host of other things.

How about you?

Is your summer looking any different than how you planned?

Happy Friday!!!

Linking to Paint Party Friday