Pain in the neck, the week ahead, struggling to celebrate

I have a chiropractic appointment this morning. I have been suffering with a pain in the neck for several weeks now and I need it resolved if possible. When I move my head in a certain way, the pain shoots down from my neck through my collar bone, then down my right arm all the way to the elbow. Keeping my head out of that position is a struggle since the movement is that of looking slightly upward, like sitting in the pew looking up at the Pastor as he preached yesterday. Getting into a position that does not activate that pain as I sleep is very challenging, so I spend a lot more time than normal adjusting myself as I lay down or as I reposition through the night – many of which start in the recliner. No medication like muscle relaxers or nerve pain inhibitors has helped. Applying external pain creams to relieve the pain and massages of the neck have not provided any relief either, so I am going to see if the chiropractor can pop my neck bones back into position and relieve the constant pinch. I am not overly hopeful, but it is worth a try since nothing else has helped. My greatest obstacle in any endeavor as always been me, but I have never been such a pain in the neck to myself.

I believe Mama has something planned for every day of this week – through Saturday evening with a Christmas party being hosted at our house. Since those in the church are generally too frightened to get together in such a way, we are going to take the opportunity to have our traditional Christmas party here. With us being limited to only one vehicle at the moment coordinating all the activities we need to engage in will take some effort and planning, but we will work it out somehow. At least we will feel like we are doing something Christmas-y. So far, it has been difficult for me to feel like it really is the Holiday season.

As is customary, Mama has been doing most of the buying, packaging and sending of presents to our grandchildren, so I do not often participate in that directly. I have not wrapped any presents other than those given at the small company party we had at my manager’s house. Plus, I have been distracted and deeply offended by the goings on in the political world. It would be nice to feel like Christmas was a kinder, gentler time, but it is not. Not this year. So, we will find ways to celebrate the birth of our Lord in private ways and enjoy the company of those we cherish within the boundaries we can safely establish and give up all pretense of this being a happy holiday season.

Nevertheless, there is joy in the Lord. Peace in knowing that no matter what depths wickedness seems to be revealing itself in this world, the Lord is fully, totally and completely in control of all the affairs of this world. I cannot see what the Lord does. I cannot affect the outcomes. But I am wholly convinced that He loves us and for those of this world who are His, all things will work together for good.  There is however an urgency to share the Gospel with this world. The judgement of God will not be restrained much longer. As we exalt those who wantonly kill the unborn and newly born for the sake of convenience to those seeking that service and the profit of those providing that service, we have become no better than Baal worshipers who would burn their infants as a sacrifice on his altar. That heartbreak overshadows this season for me, and I am struggling to celebrate Christmas because of it. Regardless, life still goes on for now.

Yesterday I fixed a lamb roast for our Sunday dinner. It was very good. At least, I thought so. Mama and Victoria are extremely put off by fat and the roast, being from a lamb, was fatty. That is the nature of that meat. But Mama trimmed away enough of the offending fat and found the meat she selected to be soft and flavorful. She was not overly impressed, but she did enjoy it a little. That aversion on Mama’s part is why I insisted the lamb we recently processed be turned into ground meat exclusively. When the fat is hidden in the ground meat, Mama is not so discerning. I made lamb burgers on the grill Saturday for dinner after she and Victoria got home from Trade Days. Those, she really enjoyed.

I am not sure going to Trade Days is a good marketing style for us. When all the receipts were counted and expenses subtracted, I believe Mama cleared less than twenty dollars for the effort she put into the day and all the hours of preparation it took to get ready for that day. Mama and Gracie enjoyed their time trying to sell their items, but I do not consider it a worthy avenue to promoter her business. On the bright side, it is only one day in a month and she did make some sales and a couple new contacts, so maybe I am not seeing the greater picture.

I am glad I was left home to work on a couple urgent projects.