WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES!

As I shared with you last Friday was a relaxing and enjoyable day. This Friday, not so much.

Randy and I decided to go to Cades Cove to ride our bikes and had planned a picnic afterward. We were both looking forward to a quiet afternoon in the park. We went by the bike shop to have the tires aired up, the ice chest was packed and the weather was perfect.

We started out on the bike path and had gone about 4 miles. We came to a steep incline and decided it would be easier to get off of our bikes and walk them to the top of the hill. As I was getting off the bike, the toe of my tennis shoe got caught on the handle bars. It threw me backward, down the incline, and I took the very hard fall entirely on my bottom. I now understand when people say they saw stars!

I have no medical knowledge and I did not sleep in a Holiday Inn the night before, but I just assumed I’d pulled a few muscles so my logic was, after a few minutes, to get back on my bike and ride back to the car in order to stretch out the muscles. But the longer I rode, the worse the pain became. We quickly decided I needed to get things checked out and started to the hospital as soon as we reached the car.

After a two hour visit to the hospital and numerous tests, x-rays and a cat scan, they determined I had cracked my back in several places. The doctor described the impact as what happens when you crush a coke can.

On the way out of the park, Randy and I were behind a white convertible Mustang just like the one we drove last weekend. Truth be told, last weekend was much better than this one…

After spending all weekend in bed, flat on my back, I’ll see a specialist on Monday to determine the plan of action. But God always provides a silver lining. Both of my girls came in from out of town to help Randy take care of me this weekend. It was great to see them both and even though the pain has been severe, it was a blessing to have my family around me.

It serves as a great reminder that our plans are not necessarily His plans and our ways are not His ways. We can make plans all day long but in seconds, those plans can change. It’s what we do in the moments and days after, that determines what sort of glory God receives in how we handle our circumstances.