Deserted Island

It was just a vision exam, but one of the first questions was, "Are you ever depressed?" 

Am I ever depressed?  Why would I ever be depressed?  Me - an overweight, out-of-shape grandmother, 1200 miles from her darlings, living in months of North Dakota sub-zero weather with a crabby foot, bad hearing, and blurry vision.  Me?  You mean ME? Depressed?

A few weeks earlier, I was sequestered, exiled, marooned in a walking boot, for a long three weeks, because walking in the snow and ice was hazardous to the rest of my body.

I stayed in the brown chair with my books and devices, and made shopping lists for my hubby. One lonely day, I thought to myself, "Self, you would never make it alone on a deserted island."

I wrote in my journal about my lack of sequester survival skills and checked the world wide web for instructions on surviving the horrible ordeal of being a castaway on a deserted, sandy, palm-studded island. On the world wide web, I found survival instructions: calm down, look for safety precautions, find fresh water, create a shelter, find a food source, evaluate your resources, start a fire, signal for help, try to make contact, and never give up.

With nothing much more to do than think, I pondered:

Calm Down

 No panic attacks allowed

"The Lord, Himself will fight for you, just stay calm." 
(Exodus 14:14)

Look for Safety Precautions

Don't try to walk on ice.
 Don't climb stairs or chairs.

"In the day of trouble, He will keep me safe." 
(Psalm 27:5)

Find Clean Fresh Water
Drink lots of water - not lots of coffee or other adult beverages.

"He will lead them to springs of living water" 
(Revelation 7:17)
Written by the Apostle John while exiled as a
 prisoner on the Island of Patmos.

Create a Shelter
A soft leather chair with a footstool works well.
"He who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence." 
(Revelation 7:15)

Evaluate Your Resources
Television, cable, Internet, wi-fi, computer, ipad, ipod, smart phone, nook, kindle, old fashioned books, journal, food in the fridge, and a Bible
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life."
(2 Peter 1:3)

Find Food Sources
Chair sitters should only eat carrots and celery lest they grow fatter!
"Long for the pure milk of the Word, 
that by it you may grow in respect to salvation."
(1 Peter 2:2)

Start a Fire
I could wish for a fireplace...
or I could work on learning that new song,
"Set a Fire Down in my Soul."

Signal for Help
Pray...Pray...Pray
Sometimes the best prayer is just, 
"Help!"
"God is ... an ever present help in trouble."
(Psalm 46:1)

Try to Make Contact
Call a friend
In case of emergency call the hot line:
"Call to ME and I will answer you and show you
 great and mighty things , which you do not know."
(Jeremiah 33:3)

Never Give Up
"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial"
(James 1:12)




In the midst of trying to keep my sanity, 
I read about an Oscar nomination that was rescinded.
 I checked out the song, 
which I would probably never have heard
 if it hadn't been for the news item.

The incredibly awesome song,
Alone Yet Not Alone
(if this link doesn't work, you can listen on You Tube)
is sung by artist, author, speaker,
Joni Eareckson Tada
a quadriplegic, 
who just happens to have spent forty-seven years
sequestered to a wheelchair.
Forty-Seven Years.

...reality check...
check
check

...

"No, ma'am.  
I am not ever depressed."