Several weeks ago I cut my finger using a mandolin. If you don’t know what that is, don’t feel badly.
I didn’t either. My husband gave it to me a number of years ago. It’s a kitchen gadget that gives you
the ability to slice veggies very thin or in various patterns. The blade is quite impressive and a little
intimidating.

You use this tool by gliding the veggies over the blade. It usually comes with a guard. But I’ve never
been able to find mine, so I have used all kinds of things to keep from cutting off my fingers…forks,
plastic lids… etc. (Why I didn’t just order a new guard, is anybody’s guess–and a completely different post!)
I usually use my make-shift guard when I get to the end of the veggie, knowing I’m in the danger zone.
This time, however, the vegetable was too hard, and gave too much resistance. I gave one hard push…
and sliced my finger instead of the onion. I will spare you the gory details. But as I stood there,
silently cursing the vegetables and wishing I had ordered take-out, I debated whether or not my index finger
was worth sitting in the ER for who-knows-how-long. I mean how important is an index finger really?

Not wanting to take the trip, I let my first aid skills (and chef hubby) spring into action.

A week or so later, the skin was healing nicely without much of a scar but beneath the surface,
inside was still quite tender.

The cut was much deeper than the skin…And I was reminded by the Holy Spirit…

The deeper the wound, the deeper you have to go for healing.

The deeper you go for healing, the longer it takes.

The same is true for our hearts. As a pastor friend of mine says, “Healing takes as long as it takes.”

Often in a hurry to hurry to heal, we re-injure ourselves because we aren’t properly caring for our hearts.

Friend, may I offer a bit of encouragement–from one healing healing heart to another?

Take a moment this weekend to care for your heart.

I love to sit in the sunshine. It does something for my soul. I regularly talk with a counselor. And I play
with my kids–this often includes fairy wings and wands. (I mean, how can fairy wings not be good heart
medicine?). The moments I take to care for my heart don’t always take a long time, but they do help me
continue on the road to inner healing and long lasting change.

The moments I take to care for my heart don’t always take a long time, but they do help me continue
on the road to inner healing and long lasting change.

This weekend, I plan to play with my son. Who knows…this may involve plastic swords 🙂

Your turn!

 

Take a walk. Write in your journal. Color. Talk to a trusted friend. Sit in the sunshine. Cry in the rain.

Take a drive. Contact a counselor.Give yourself time to heal. You’re worth it! The world needs what you
have to offer. But we also need you to be well. Give yourself time to heal. You’re worth it!
The world needs what you have to offer. But we also need you to be well.

So what’s your one thing? How will you care for your heart this weekend?

You are His Beloved. Allow yourself to Be. Loved.