Monday, April 16, 2012

Prevention--the Best Cure


A few nights ago I heard our big dog Blackie start barking. Being the curious person that I am, I walked over to the front window to peer through the blinds and see if I could see what he was riled up about. Just as I was about to do just that, a sharp, stabbing pain hit the ball of my left foot! I started hollering and trying to get away from the pain but it was just going with me. I lost my balance and fell flat in the middle of the living room floor hitting my elbow/arm on a chair on the way down! Oh my! NOT a good thing to happen to someone my age! The first thing I did was start thanking the Lord that nothing was broken. I have a few bruises and am a little sore but that's all.

I guess you're wondering what in the world happened! Benny had laid a pair of his pants in the floor under the window (for some reason) and there was a belt in them. The part of the buckle that sticks through the holes in the belt must have been sticking straight up like a nail because that's what I stepped on. I had on some lightweight rubber-like shoes and when it went through the shoe it wouldn't come back out. That's why I could not get away from the pain! Benny was SO upset that he had left it there and felt so guilty. He apologized over and over! (after he had put the pants somewhere else! ha)

I began to think about how my fall could have been prevented easily. I ended up bruised and battered simply because things were not put away and taken care of as they should have been. And I thought about some of the bruised and battered people I know. Their bruises and injuries are not always the kind you can see with your eyes. Some of them are all right on the outside but it's their hearts or emotions that are bruised and scarred.

When we let our lives get "messy"....whether it's outwardly or inwardly...people can get hurt. I want to be a better housekeeper. I want to have a home that is visually relaxing and safe. But more than that I want to take better care of my spiritual life so that I will stay spiritually healthy and also so that I will not become a stumbling block that would trip others and hurt them!

The old saying is true..."An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." So today I want to work on preventing another accident or some kind of back sliding so that I don't have to pick myself...or someone else...up out of the floor or out of spiritual distress!

The best way I know to do that is to get in the Word of God on a regular basis!

Ephesians 5:26 "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word".

What kind of prevention tactics do you practice? I'd love to hear!

Marilyn

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great post, Marilyn. If that belt buckle went into your foot be sure you have put alcohol on it as there are always germs that can get into your foot. May God continue to bless you and keep you safe.

Leah Adams said...

Oh my, that is a nasty bruise. I am thankful nothing was broken. What a great lesson!

Marilyn in Mississippi said...

Dear Anonymous....thank you for your concern. The buckle did not break the skin on my foot as far as I could tell...no blood anyway. But I did go ahead and use peroxide on it and then put on a band-aid and antibiotic ointment just to be on the safe side.

P.S....I wish I could figure out who you are!

Natalie Monk said...

Great post, Mrs. Marilyn! Hope you recover quickly. I'm always getting banged up, but it's because of my own clumsiness, lol.

This is a great reminder of spiritual housekeeping. Very encouraging!

Yolanda said...

That looks like it hurts! What a great visual! Love ya

Karin said...

Totally agree with you! So sorry about your bruise though. I've let the car door slam on my leg - and I found that I don't heal as quickly as I'm older! Blessings and good healing!

Martha said...

Marilyn, I'm so sorry you hurt yourself. We have all tripped/stepped on something that shouldn't have been there.
I have started trying to look where I'm walking more lately.
I'm praying you all have a great Revival. Ours begins May 6 and we are already getting fired up and preparing for it. God is at work all around us. I wish everyone could experience His blessings and know they are from Him. (Not coincidence).
Please say a prayer for me tomorrow. I may share the details with you at some time. Thank you in advance and Love you.
Martha

Peggy said...

So sorry about your foot!! I hope it’s better by now. What prevention do I use? Keeping my mind from dwelling on the negative in life! We can all be in the dumps if we allow it!

“In all things give thanks”.

Peggy

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

So very true, Marilyn. Prevention is the best cure for hurting ourselves. Even when we do find ourselves in a great deal of pain, we can know that our advance preparations in faith will move us more quickly toward healing. It is so very important that we take very good care of our hearts! Amen?!

peace~elaine

Jackie said...

Hey Marilyn,

Oh my!!!! I had a similar fall years ago when my son still was at home....As most teenagers do, his room was cluttered all over. I entered one evening to close the blinds and tripped over something and fell backwards and through my neck out very badly. Needless to say I had him declutter the next day!

Hope you are feeling better now! And, yes, what a great reminder of the necessity to do spiritual housekeeping too!

Blessings!
Jackie