Whenever most people have a close encounter with a serious life crisis, regardless if it is an auto accident, a health event, some kind of violence or natural disaster, the aftermath in emotions left behind is vast. For me, emotions of reflection and forward thinking…in some cases looking back.

In late July and August, I experienced one of these kinds of events in my life.
I had a knee replacement surgery and while recovering from this extremely painful process, I had an issue come up with my heart. The heart issue was caused by adrenalin my body produced to help me keep up with the trauma and pain of the surgery, going back to work the week after surgery and beginning two summer school classes on-line in the same week. At first I did not see or recognize the warning signs my body was giving me. It was a little difficulty breathing here and there, becoming increasingly tired all the time and wanting to just sleep. When I finally recognized my heart was talking to me, it happened while in the shower, I felt light headed, my chest felt like I had put on a shirt three times too small, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not suck in enough air in my lungs to breathe. Very Scary!

After 911, meeting some very professional firemen, a nice expensive ride to the ER, a three day hospital stay testing, replacing a brain dead cardiologist who forgot about me, some more testing and an angiogram surgery, I finally found out all my major organs appeared normal and OK. My arteries have a little plaque but not enough to worry or cause a heart event. That left the replacement cardiologist to investigate why my heart monitoring showed abnormally high readings stressing my heart. He put me on medication to slow my heart down and instructed me to slow my life down until my knee healed and my heart had a chance to rest.

The quick answer…..get some rest!

I often describe my life to others as my life is like I’m always running with my hair on fire.
I am multitasking ALL THE TIME…and when I am not, there is this evil spirit that whispers in my left ear, “Why aren’t you working on this or that…you being lazy?”
When I had this event come up, the whispers stopped, I quit school for the summer, I stayed off my PC for a week (hard to believe but true) and just took the time to REST!

In my time of rest is where I found the reflection and the quietness of that place God was able to speak to my heart, my spirit, my being. I have refocused my life on my not having too much on my plate as to rob me of my needed rest. I am spending more time with my Sweet Bride, inviting friends over and creating lasting memories with the ones I love. I am almost back to my previous state of working and doing things, however, there is one difference…..I am surrounded by an awareness of myself and my mortality, I only have so much time on my earth journey to accomplish the meaningful tasks I was created to perform. This causes me to focus on quality and not quantity, dedicated time to each thing I do, and if multitasking, make sure it is purposeful. But REST is always on my mind. Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

~webholyman~