Community

Community - - I've always thought I knew the meaning of the word.  Until today, when I realized that I had no concept of how to accept the community of others.

I have had an anxiety-filled day.  It shouldn't have been that way, but when you're 30 weeks pregnant and forced to do the one thing that you hate most in the world (yes, that just might be the hormones talking), the simplest of errands can feel like it ends in catastrophe.

On my way out the door to get some routine blood work done this morning, I wrote a Facebook post that many people do when they're feeling the way I felt: I asked for prayer.  When I got into the parking lot of the hospital, I said a prayer myself.  I prayed that God would give me peace, that He would provide me with a technician who really knew what they were doing, and that I would hardly feel the needle that I was fearing so much.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, grabbed my son out of the back seat, and headed in.  When I got to the front desk, the woman looked at me, with my toddler in my arms, and asked if I knew this was a one-hour test.  I told her I hadn't realized.  She then asked me if I had fasted.  No, I hadn't.  I'm pregnant and eat around the clock.  I told her I would figure out another time to come in, and left.

Anxiety spiked.  Now, instead of getting my blood work done in one quick swipe, I would have to sit around the office for an entire hour on an empty stomach.  Not only that, but I would have to figure out how to pay a babysitter for that time.  Financial stress was the last thing I needed.

When I got home I continued to feel Satan attacking me in a way he hasn't in a long time.  I felt everything caving in around me, and I didn't know what to do.  Then the Lord reminded me of the community around me.  The community that was the reason why we moved here in the first place.  He did so through several wonderful people.

Accepting help is not something I do easily.  Tomorrow morning before breakfast I will bring the Love Bug to a friend's house and get the dreaded blood work done without a toddler in toe.  What a blessing it is to have people surrounding me with prayers and love and support, and what an incredible added blessing that several friends have offered to actually help out!  I could not be more thankful.

I promise to make an effort to accept help more often, if you will promise to hold me to it?