It's so interesting sometimes how we get set in our ways. We have our routines and comforts and feel like any shake up of those will completely destroy our world and how we function.
I remember when Danielle and I first got married and were living in condo in California that we didn't have a microwave. We didn't own one at the time and decided just to do without for awhile. The perception was that this would be a major inconvenience and we would eventually have to buy one. However what we really found is the way we adapted and cooking things in other ways became the norm. We accepted the fact that certain things were going to take longer to cook and it didn't bother us because those were our new expectations. In fact to this day we have yet to buy a microwave. We have one because it was in our house when we bought it, but if something happened to it I doubt that we would spend the money to replace it. After going without for a year back then we know that we can survive just fine without one.
It's funny though how we cling to "things" and think we can't survive without. And yet, despite the lack of use of something as major as my legs.... I seem to function just fine. My expectations have changed and I so with it. Oh sure somethings are definitely more difficult and take longer, but I've grown patience for it and I'm okay with it, it's just the new norm. I'm not gonna say that I don't have frustrating moments trying to figure out how to do tasks at times, but that's allowed me to get creative on new ways to get things done(just ask my daughter on how the two of us tag team laundry cause neither of us our capable by ourselves right now).
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "To different minds, the same world is hell, and a heaven" It may seem like hell to not have a cell phone and lose that communication with the world. Although it could be Heaven to enjoy the peace and quiet with the distraction.
I recently decided to do a fast with my Wife. I find that the best way to get deeper connected with God is to go without something in my life, every time I think(in this case food) about that thing I go to prayer and it puts me more focused on God. While it was with those intentions I started I also asked God for wisdom on my future eating habits. I thought it would be hard to give up the foods I wanted, I thought it would be "hell" to not have what I thought I needed. What I have discovered is a new "Heaven". Being in the wheelchair plays havoc on my digestive system and the ability for it to work, which in turn creates other issues. The cleaner eating has taken care of some of those issues and the simplification has brought a peace to my body in areas.
It has made me think about my "loyalties", and the things I perceive to be able to not live without. The gift and beauty of our human bodiesand spirit is we our very adaptable and what we treasure valuable may just be a curse.
