Oct 5, 2025 – Nurturing
I started thinking yesterday that these first two weeks of rotator cuff surgery recovery have been like the first two weeks with a newborn. Every three hours or so there’s a feeding, but my newborn requires pain pills. Yesterday was the first day that I went a little longer than three hours (without regretting “staying ahead of the pain”), but the hours between pills definitely require tending to the “baby”, adjusting the sling or gathering things for where I’m going to sit and prop up my elbow or applying ice for a while and maybe even trying some chores to pass the time etc. The nights are worse than the days for sure, like with newborns, because I’m already tired from interrupted sleep the night before and then an interactive day. When daylight finally comes, I’m glad to be up (and done for a while with trying to get comfortable) but I’m tired, so coffee and breakfast are good distractions (as are lunch and dinner and snacks during the day. Needless to say I haven’t gotten on the scale during these two weeks.)
Napping during the day isn’t much of a peaceful relief though because with newborns you’re aware of them and wanting to be responsive and with my shoulder I’m always aware of how I’m holding my arm and the pressure and pulling that I feel in my shoulder. I feel like I’m almost constantly in a shrugged position with my shoulders lifted up towards my ears and having to tell myself to relax and not feel that stress. Even when the doctor was trying to manipulate my arm and he said don’t help me he had to then again say, “And still don’t help me” because I was lifting my shoulder.
I’m not sure if I mentioned that I sleep sitting up. I can’t lean back for very long without the pressure and the pulling at my shoulder leading to pain (and wondering if I’m helping or hurting the healing) which was so surprising to me. Everyone that I’ve talked to after the fact that has been through this validates me in leaning and pressure dilemma. Even the nurse the other day, when she was setting up the exam table for me, was initially reclining it a little and then said, “Ohh no you need to be upright” and I thought that was wild that she experienced that as well. I promise I’m not whining. Perhaps it’s a little venting, but mainly I’m just sharing, for perspective. Maybe there will be someone else out there who needs a heads up for what’s about to come if they’re contemplating shoulder surgery ha ha. I do predict that I will be among the ranks who say in the long run that it’s worth it. But I have to qualify that by saying I’m pre physical therapy so I know there’s a lot still ahead with that, which means I’m keeping the ice machine for a little longer that was loaned to me!
Yesterday, with football on in the background, I got some cleaning and sorting and straightening done which was good for my psyche. But when I went to rest, while I was mindlessly watching a Netflix show that I wish I could stop watching, I was also mindlessly scrolling through Amazon looking at things that I don’t need to buy. But I did come across an inspirational book which led me to another inspirational book that was written by someone from my hometown, Virginia Beach VA. Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children by Jodie Berndt and that’s not her first book. She’s written many books (and I have some of them) and she seems to have had a beautiful life so far. And…… I found myself doing what I tell other people not to do and what I’ve been hearing lately in messages. I even mentioned it the other day with Joyce Meyer trying, unsuccessfully, to grow tomatoes because her neighbor, successfully, grew tomatoes.
I began comparing my life to Jodie’s life and wondering what I’ve accomplished. I didn’t go down a rabbit hole, though, because I consciously do know better than that and my faith is stronger than that but I’m still human. And I wondered is it enough that I’ve raised good children or that I sometimes vacuum up the dog hair enough to be presentable for company? I could list out all the other things to try and make a point but I hope I’m making the point that our worth is not measured in things and accomplishments and accolades etcetera.
I didn’t wallow in the comparisons and what ifs last night, mainly because I was lost in the Netflix series that numbed my mind. But I did wake up with it a little bit this morning until I started watching the Church of the Highlands service and Pastor Mark talked about how Jesus grew throughout his life. He started his life here on earth like we all do, as an infant. Even though He was all-knowing in His being, He had to learn about and experience things and grow up as a human being.
So that was inspiring, but what was especially inspiring was when he pointed out how little Jesus’ father, Joseph, is mentioned in the Bible. I think Pastor Mark said something like there are only 20 verses about Joseph and that we never hear his words, but it hit me that his influence is all over Jesus’s life and that of James. Joseph raised them to whatever point in their lives before he was no longer in their lives and that influence was lasting and valuable.
I remember one time someone asking, “Who was more valuable: Billy Graham or his Sunday school teacher?” I’m probably not saying that correctly but that did affect me when I first heard it and I’ve always remembered it. So, whatever God still has for me to do, what I’ve done so far is valuable. AI Google put it like this, “Graham’s spiritual life is closely associated with the broader concept of how a single act of sharing the gospel, such as in a Sunday school setting, can have a world changing impact.” We are all called to be evangelists no matter how big or small the circle is around us that God draws. Like Jesus, we have to be about our Father’s business and respond to His call whatever it is. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
