Les fleurs--unexpected blessings in creation and French

On Monday I took an afternoon walk down the new section of the Tennessee Riverwalk in St. Elmo.  I had been there only once before and had walked a very short section.  I had planned to stay in my car Monday afternoon to read and study, but seeing someone change clothes and get her bike out of her car encouraged me to change clothes and put on my hip unloader brace.  I wear a brace when I walk, hike, or work out because of the arthritis in my left side that has deteriorated things and now requires a hip replacement.

Walking on that beautiful afternoon allowed me to let go, to allow some great creation to soak into my heart, mind, and soul.  It gave me time to breathe and pray.

Click here for a link to the Tennessee Riverwalk, Riverpark.

The one thing not helpful about the 3.3 walk was that the right hip started hurting.  It has been doing that when I wear the brace for the left side.  The left side is set up and protected, but the right side isn't.  I had problems with both sides in 2008, but it was determined then that it was minor, so I was encouraged to live with the pain, keep going, etc.

I had a hip doctor appointment yesterday for the left side, but we ended up focusing on the right side.  The x-rays show it isn't as bad as the left, but it also shows that the hip ball isn't round and has wear and tear (thus pain).  Instead of a second steroid shot in the left side, I got one in the right side.  We are going to see if they can adapt those cool unloader braces to be bilateral.  And, I will keep on keeping on.

After the doctor appointment, I went to Niedlov's for coffee, a normal Tuesday morning activity, to meet with fellow clergy.

When I was getting my 2nd cup of coffee to go, the woman behind me started speaking French to the worker behind the counter.  Le français!  Oh, one doesn't hear that very often here in Chattanooga.  I has happy and joined in the conversation.  French is my third language and I don't get the chance to speak it as I would like.  But, I jumped in there and did okay.  I learned that the lady behind me was from France, that there were other French speakers in the coffee shop that morning, and the barista had been to France to study.  I hung in there pretty well for not having heard or spoken it in a while.  I haven't taught it since 2009 when I had helped fill in at Chattanooga State.  I taught online, so my speaking was in video clips for the students.

Though Spanish is my 2nd language, I adore French and I was super excited to be able to speak it yesterday.  That was a gift to me.  Just like the views on Monday of the river and the mountains, the flowers (which I had interestingly enough posted with "les fleurs" on Monday).

There are rough spots in life, yes.  But there are also some very bright ones.  Unexpected blessings that show up in unexpected moments in unexpected places.  That is grace.

Grace continues to carry me.  There are other blessings and moments of grace that I could share too, but I try to keep these posts fairly short.

What about you? What are the unexpected blessings in your life?  What examples of grace are carrying you?

Peace and blessings on your journey,

Debra

A couple of articles on the new portion of the Riverwalk:

the Chattanooga Trend, by Hannah Peyton
Times Free Press, by Steve Johnson