1. Who took naps as a kid? Who liked them? 
2. Who takes naps now? Who likes them?

The answers are pretty different from the first questions to the second questions. I remember, as kids, my sister and I were told we had to take a nap. I would lie there and fidget and sweat (in the summer SE Texas heat), and my mind would wander and wander and wander.....until finally, I would fall asleep just before Mother or Daddy would come in and tell us we could get up. Then,  I would be so lethargic and not want to get up.  Uggghhhhh.....the perils of naps. 

Today? I might very well take a nap. I am on my "reset sabbatical" to get healthy and strong again. Funny that last week was "Reset" and today is "Rest". I love words so much. 
Okay, back to naps. I have often told Dave I am so jealous of him. He can literally sit down on the couch and, within seconds (not minutes, folks, (and I promise I am not exaggerating)---seconds!), he will be asleep.  I love a good nap, but most of the time, it takes a few minutes for me to settle down enough to get a nap going. Watching golf with Dave is a good way to induce a nap, but WOW! when it happens, I just love it! 

Our Episcopal priest, Father Jay, talked of Jesus sending the apostles into the wilderness. They had just come back from their "two-by-two" expedition, and they wanted to rest. Jesus sent them into the wilderness. What does the word "wilderness" conjure up for you? For me, it reminds me of the big Piney Woods of East Texas, the Appalachian Trail, Denali National Park, the Yukon Territory, and so many other places I've been and loved (and those I haven't been---maybe God hasn't "sent me" there yet). Father Jay said that if we go into these "wilderness" places, even though we think it might be restful, we have to be vigilant as there can be dangers in the wilderness (especially if we don't know what we are doing). It is in those times of being in the wilderness alone that we need to rely on God's help. What if a lightning storm begins on the Appalachian Trail? Should you get under the trees or out in the open? In the Yukon Territory, if you happen onto a moose or a bear, are you supposed to "look big" and make lots of noise or are you supposed to turn around and run? In the wilderness, I would not only have to rely on the skills I had been taught before I ventured there but I would need to rely on God.  

We may not go to Denali very often (if ever, but if you get the chance, take it, as it is SO beautiful!), but we do have our own "wilderness" places in our own lives during which time, we have to rely on God because we are not in charge. I definitely believe this happened to me during my recent stint in the hospital. I would be awakened by the vampires who must take my blood at 3:00 a.m. (really??), and I could go right back to sleep after that (but why, oh why, can't you take it out of an IV and quit poking needles in me?), but during the day, I would feel so lonely (God bless Dave----he came to the hospital as much as he could, but we have two Labs that needed his attention, as well, so he most certainly couldn't be there all the time) and scared (when will these antibiotics kick my infection? when will I get to go home?).  While waiting for news from my doctor or waiting for the next IV drip to be changed or pain meds to be brought, I had to realize that God is definitely in charge.  Imagine that in a vast hospital, in my room, there I can find and hold onto God! 

One of my favorite sayings is "I can't; God can; I'm going to let Him". It pretty much sums up what it feels like to truly rely on God so I can rest easy in His loving arms. When I try to take control, things go south pretty quickly. When I give it up to God, I can rest----even when I am in the wilderness.

What is your wilderness? How do you navigate through it, even when it might be scary and you aren't sure whether to run from the bear or bang pots and pans at it. In those times, what are your go-to strategies?  How do you find rest? 

I am grateful to have navigated some of my most recent wilderness, and I will continue to do so by relying on God and taking help when it is offered. But for now....I think I will take a nap.

Happy Communicating,

​Shelly

The summer is always my busiest time of year for work, especially since I do consulting, coaching, and professional development for school districts all over the world. Summer is the best time for administrators to get professional development, and August and September are the back-to-school months for teachers to get professional development.

So, I was ready to go....I've had quite a few work trips planned, particularly for July and August. Then, just like that, I needed surgery....not so much major surgery but one that required rest and a few limitations. I may or may not have crossed over a couple of limitations and found myself in my doctor's office, where she told me at 9:00 in the morning to not drink any more of my diet coke because she was going to find a place to perform an emergency surgery due to a pretty severe infection. The infection was a staph infection from an unknown source, and I ended up in the hospital (while they tried to find the right IV antibiotic) for 5 days. I still have much healing and a bit more surgery to do, but for now, I am out of the woods. My husband, Dave, who is adding jewels to his crown for Heaven, has been an amazing caregiver----helping me when I need it, making me laugh when I need it, reminding me to not project into the future when I need it, and getting me to walk and take my medications when I need it. 

I talked with God. I talked with Dave. I talked with my spiritual advisor. I talked with my dearest friends. All of them told me this: "You need to stop moving". In other words, I was told (it truly has felt a bit like an intervention) that I needed to quit focusing so much on work and other responsibilities in order to commence a "reset" on my physical and mental well-being. Just to be clear, I four organizations with whom I am employed (mutual clients and responsibilities in all of them), and I contact three of them over the next two days and said, "I'm unable to fulfill any work for the next several months, as I have to fulfill some work on me."  Uggghhhhh.....anyone out there a workaholic?  You must share my "Uggghhhh", then, as it was the most horrific thing I've had to do in a long time.  Work is what I do. It defines me.....until it couldn't. My spiritual advisor reminded me that I am worthy without needing to collect a paycheck for a while. 

So, a reset, for me anyway, is a work in progress, and it is, indeed, progress, not perfection.  You notice I said I contacted three of the four. I am still doing online teaching for one major university. It's great because even when Dave and I travel, I can do the online teaching and it only takes up part of my time. I am grateful to be teaching, as it "keeps me in the game", as so much of my work does.

What am I going to do during this time?  Rest, read, and "reset" are my three top priorities, in addition to do some work on my spiritual self. 
I know I haven't posted much, lately, but I will certainly be trying to keep in touch with my website and blog as often as I can.

Just for today, consider how important our physical health is to any other type of health we have. If we are not physically healthy, all other "systems" tend to shut down. 
I'm blessed to have so many people who love and adore me and whom I love and adore right back!
Take care, and God bless you!

Shelly