That Still Small Voice . . .

Today has just been a long day.  I was up before the sun, put the trash out, had breakfast and took off for the Y where I swam two miles and then began to teach five new classes.  

My first two classes were a private school, Sterling Academy.  I taught three absolutely delightful young women followed by six equally rambunctious young men, one whom could not swim.  At all.  

They were followed by a parent/child class, a class of non-swimmers and I finished with a school-age group.  New children, new parents, and now no voice because they are repairing the whirlpool and I had to make my voice carry over the sound of non-stop sawing and drilling. Did I mention a headache, too? 

I stopped at home for lunch somewhere around 1 and then off to the grocery store.  Put the groceries in the cart, put the groceries on the line for check out, put the groceries in bags, put the bags in the car, take the bags out of the car, carry the bags up the stairs and into the kitchen, unpack the bags, pack away the groceries.  Yuck.  Done. 

By now I was beat and just wanted to sit, but Annie (the dog) had other plans.  She wanted a walk.  We took off up the hill by Jana's.  Do you remember how I said it was trash day at the very beginning of my whine?  Well, I've been pulling up Jana's trash cans because I know the brain tumor she is fighting leaves her exhausted at the end of her work day.  Today I just wanted to leave them sit at the end of her drive.  I was tired, too tired to pull up her recycle can and her trash can.  I was going to walk on by.

But then a still small voice reminded me of Isaiah 41:10, "Fear not, for I AM with you, be not dismayed for I AM your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."  I pulled up the cans.

Seriously, half a block later, Jana pulled her car over to say, "Hi".  I could see the waves of exhaustion rolling off of her.  It had been a long, hard day in court and she was beat.  She was facing a repeat tomorrow.  And I was thankful that I listened to the voice of Jesus . . .