Perscription for Life

I hope you're not thinking 2 mama is like the little boy who cried wolf, telling everyone that she created a blog for her trip, but never going on the trip. I promise I'm really going to England. For those of you who are expecting me to be gone, I'm sorry. I know that's what this blog is for, but I'm still here--just blogging away without ever boarding a plane. Oh well, consider these practice blogs. Don't you like the word, blog? I have no idea what it means, but I'm sure it stands for something very computer-technological, which is not how it sounds, which is so...........bloggy.

Oh well, today's trip check-list included an appointment with the urologist, a shopping trip, and highlights. (No self-respecting southern woman would go across the pond without fresh highlights.) The mall and highlights sound reasonable but, Why in the world would the urologist have anything to do with your trip to England, you might say. Trust me, it wasn't exactly where I wanted to be either. But, I was recently on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic when an unexpected bladder infection knocked me to the ground as if I were standing alone on a golf course in a lightening storm, so I signed a contract with myself to never leave the country without an antibiotic for such an emergency. After a nice conversation about cameras, sight-seeing, and how his dad knew 2 papa's dad, I left with a prescription in hand and headed to the pharmacy.

There is nothing like being prepared. I've always contended that preparation can take us from frenzy to fantastic in any given situation. I took a few tests back in my school days unprepared. Talk about frenzied. But, when I was prepared. That teacher couldn't hand me the test fast enough. FANTASTIC....that's how I felt. I was so happy to be taking a test, a fire drill (the best opportunity to legally skip class) couldn't have stopped me. My trip to the urologist was one of those steps that could keep my trip, or at least a day or two of it, from total despair.

Here's my favorite "be prepared" scripture. It's from in Ephesians 6:13 The Message: "Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."

I have to admit that many times I'm much quicker to prepare myself for the physical battles I'm sure to be up against, like an unhappy bladder in a foreign country, than I am for the spiritual battles that will surely come my way as well. I forget to fill my prescription that says, "Read God's word. Pray hard and long. Keep your eyes open." I'm definitely going to work on that one.

Oh--the trip to the mall. Just searching for gifts for all the wonderful folks in England who made this trip possible. Just feeling like Mardi Gras beads and a small bottle of Cajun Hot Sauce from Hobby Lobby won't work this time. Still looking. Have a great day.