Reflections 5/3/2020: No, this is not another post about constipation! It is about my whole torso in spastic contortions! Gas? Indigestion? Heartburn? Surgical cuts coming alive at a whole new level? Intestines in a slugfest with my gastric juices? All of the above? Holy smokes it hurts! Shuts down my abdominal muscles to non-existent when I try to elevate my body from bed or the couch. But I am perfecting an awkward rolling maneuver that uses gravity to leverage my weight onto the floor despite my absentee abs. Not a pretty sight, but at this point I don’t much care! What the heck?! I thought the worst was behind me! Healing must be very circuitous. My Mom loved this phrase when she got in her (annoying at the time, but now adorable in her absence) cheerleader mode of encouragement! “This too shall pass!” Of course she never added the kidney stone part, but I am taking that literary liberty! WOWZERS! Sure fits! Sooo God. If You see fit to allow this pain to riddle my body (in lieu of Your miraculous healing), then I will lean into it for the life lessons. You didn’t save Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from their walk INTO the fire, but You did show up to keep the fire from doing any damage to them  during their duration there… and all the more got glory for Your seeming-late-in-the-game intervention! If a “kidney stone” of pain is part of my “This too shall pass” process,  just stay close enough to keep it from singeing me! And please woo my abs back into working order, so I can evolve from a slithering worm into something somewhat human!