When the Left Hand Has to Take Over

     I suppose it was not the brightest idea. At the time it seemed like a fun thing to do with the family, but the problem was that I still thought of myself as an eighteen year old who could go out and hammer post into the field to make a fence for the horses. I still thought of myself as someone who could rip open a small pumpkin to pull the seeds out. It is just not realistic to think that way anymore. That was over twenty years ago, before I had five children (six pregnancies) and endured back injuries and other aches and pains that make the body weaker. So, a trip to the trampoline park seemed harmless. What could it hurt to bounce around with the children on a bunch of trampolines? Well, my right shoulder found out that it could hurt a lot. I went down on one bounce, put my hands down to catch myself, and at the same time someone else jumped on the same trampoline and I misjudged the bounce and it jerked my arms up and did something to my right shoulder. It ached a little bit at the time, and I remember thinking, "This is going to hurt tomorrow," and left it at that. To make a long story short, I now have a frozen shoulder which throbs and aches, and restricts my ability to move my arm. Suddenly putting on a coat requires assistance. I cannot raise my upper arm above my hip, and the simple act of putting a barrette in my hair is now a huge chore. I just cannot do it. Alaina has been a big help in this area. Everyone has been a big help in the kitchen. JJ even vacuumed the living room for me, and Joe has been needed to help me in the morning as I get ready for work, and I hate having to depend on everyone to help me with everyday tasks. Not to mention the intense pain that shoots up my arm if I bump or jerk my arm in the wrong direction.

      I am right handed. It is my right shoulder that is injured. So, therefore, my left hand has been having to take up the slack and work extra hard. Who knew that I could write and do so much with my left hand? Maybe I am more in my right mind than I thought! :) When something is not used to being worked, it takes a little bit of training and time to get it into shape, but once it is, nothing is going to stop it.

     Today after lunch, I was overseeing the clean up of the table where my K5 class sits and eats and Little Lya was busy sweeping. I took a second broom and began sweeping with my left arm, helping where I could. I found my right arm had a little bit more movement than on the previous days, but I still have a long road ahead of me. Lya was commenting at how well I was doing and said something about how good it was that I had my left arm. "That must be why God made our lefts arms," she said. "To do the work when our right arms can't." Smart girl...but what do you do about left handed people? :) I guess it works the other way around.  

It got me thinking about how there are different people in the church and other places in life that do so much. They keep things running smoothly, managing everything right down to every detail. They work all hours, hardly ever stopping to take a break, and never complain. Kind of like a right hand. There are other people who could be considered left hands, doing what needs to be done, but feeling less talented and not as capable of doing all that the right hands do. Yet, there are times when the right hands have to step back and let the left hands come and fill in the gap. It may be a discouraging, humbling feeling for the righties, but it is the way God created us. He created the entire body for a purpose; each part of the body has a job to do and we all work together. Nobody is better than anyone else and even the most minor part is very important. So, as an encouragement to you, no matter where God has placed you in life, you play an important part to those around you. As a part of the body of Christ, you have a job to do, no matter how small or minor. Whatever you put your hand to do, do it with your might and do it for the Lord. He gave you that left hand for a reason, so put it to good use. And meanwhile, stay away from those trampolines, at least those who are over 35 years of age. :) Oh, and keep the crazy minded ones who do go (or did go) in prayer so they can mend quickly after their

---