About four weeks ago I had a crown put on one of my teeth. It's been a long four weeks of headaches, earaches and tooth, jar and mouth pain. Pain that wakes me at night and just nags at me all day. I've eaten Advil and Tylenol like candy. My biggest goal was to avoid a root canal. The funny thing is that I didn't even know what a root canal involved, but the mere sound of it made me cringe. I've often joked that I'd chose giving birth any day over getting a dental procedure. At least after the pain of childbirth you receive a prize! I'd gone back to my dentist a few times and he didn't see any abscesses or anything but said it was likely going to end in a root canal. Knowing my aversion to the dreaded root canal he indulged my waiting. And waiting I did. He knew I was petrified and did his best to assure me that the dreaded root canal really was painless.
Anyway, yesterday I caved and went in for the root canal. I've prayed about it and asked God to give me courage and faith. I know it sounds silly. I've certainly been through 'bigger' things but for some reason this has just been a huge obstacle for me. I prayed for my dentist almost the entire time he was working on me. Prayed for him to have guidance and complete success in performing the root canal. Prayed he wouldn't hurt me ;) I prayed God would give him a supernatural insight and having every confidence in him and he proved to do an excellent job! I already can tell the pain is leaving and as I told him when I left it wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined. It seems that's true for most things. Nothing is ever as bad or as good as I imagine.
In hopes I'd be good to go, I brought my grocery list along. I decided that since I felt okay I'd run on to the store and get the weekly shopping completed. I'd worked yesterday on our weekly menu and gathered coupons and planned my list. Hunter will be home which means there is an added level of needing to have food in the house! I pulled in the parking lot and lo and behold my sweet friend Michele, from 7th grade, was in the spot next to me. I'd been visiting with her on the phone before my dentist appointment. We grabbed our carts and parked ourselves near the tomatoes and picked up where we'd left off earlier in the day. For the next hour and 15 minutes we visited with one another and greeted a few friends (LeeAnne and Mitzi) who came and went as we stood and talked! I've known Michele since I was 13 and we've been through everything imaginable together. She's one of those classic friends that you can just count on and who you share a past, present and future with.
As we stood there visiting I saw several other friends who I'd not seen in ages and got to briefly catch up with them too. I finally decided we had to get to shopping but as I walked away I ran into another sweet friend, Aletha! I met her when I worked with her during summers in college. She is also responsible for me meeting Rick! They were friends and he called her for my phone number so many years ago. She's a classic friend! She's withstood the test of time. I miss her. We try and have lunch a few times each year and that just never seems like enough. I was so happy to see her. She and her son are about to leave for Ireland this week so I'm thrilled to know that and can pray for them over the next several days! What an extraordinary experience and I look forward to getting to have lunch and hear all about it when they return. It will be near her birthday and we always eat lunch for her birthday. I love being able to count on that.
So, I got two things at the store I had to have, paid and left. No food. No toilet paper. Nothing I came for and although I walked away with an empty shopping cart I left with a full heart! God knew today I needed to see some sweet friends who I see far too infrequently.
I headed home and a few hours later as I drove Addison back into town for practice, my BFF called. Yesterday I told her I'd really like to go to see her mom this week. She'd fallen and broke her hip for the 2nd time in 2 months a few days ago. Her mom has been my second mom since I was 13. So, I met her up at the rehab center and got to enjoy a really nice visit with two of my favorite people in the world. It did something for my soul to see her.
I'm so thankful He had divine appointments for me today and so thankful that I got to invest in what matters...relationships with people I adore! We all said that we need to meet for lunch and I'm going to make sure that happens ~
Carrie, Lori and Michele I met in 7th grade and we have a long history of stories and memories! Thankfully they are all a part of my present and will be a part of my future! Loyal, trusted and precious lifelong friends! Aletha is one of those pick up the phone friends and you've never missed a beat with. My friend Krista and I roomed together at OSU and we both have daughters named Kyleigh.
My favorite line from my favorite movie is this -
No (wo)man is a failure who has friends!
I am richly blessed!
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