So…
I got a parasite.
First one of the trip for my squad.
And such a perfect person to get it;
the girl who's homesick and is dreaming of nothing but her cozy bed back home in Florida.
Perhaps though, we should start at the beginning.
I'm running a fever of 102.7 for three days. Bethany, an RN on my team, is taking care of me. Except that we're in a bedroom of the house with no ventilation so 102.7 really feels like 110. I think I had like four different kinds of fever reducers that week which worked wonders … for a few hours. Then it would spike back up.
FINALLY – My fever has broken.
My nurse (aka Bethany) tells me that I just need a few days of rest to get my strength back
and we should be good to go.
But then . . . my stomach is in shambles.
I will spare you all the details but we decided to go to the doctor after I couldn't make it back to the bedroom on my own.
And our lovely doctor confirms – it's a parasite.
How? Good question.
But we retreat back home to begin the course of antibiotics and rehydration.
Fun story eh? You know what's really fun about it?
You learn a LOT when you're stuck in a bed for two weeks straight.
First, I figured out how to make my bed feel like my bed at home. Sleeping bags are GREAT for cushion and if you add your sleeping pad to that mix than you're just golden.
Second, you start to notice everyone's shower routines . . . and thankfully my team is pretty clean.
Third, I could tell you the exact times people come and go in this house. It's perfect clockwork. 🙂
Seriously though,
Being sick in bed for two weeks really does show you something . .
It was such a time for self-reflection, right at the beginning of this journey. I haven't really gotten to do to much ministry up to this point and have just been trying to work out kinks with my team.
But I've learned a lot about MY faults.
When someone gets on your nerves SO SO SO much,
chances are that it has more to do with YOU than THEM.
I had night's where I just prayed that God would make me go home. I remember laying there, sick and feeling like death was knocking, and just crying to God – PLEASE let me go home. PLEASE.
My answer?
Silence.
In the midst of that silence my heart already knew the answer.
I don't know why I was begging for a different one.
I know I'm suppose to be here.
My sister sent me the most beautiful quote yesterday:
"The teacher is always silent when the test is given.
If God is silent in your life right now; it's a test of faith."
God has placed me in this season. That doesn't mean it's easy.
And getting a parasite is slowly transforming into a blessing.
It's allowed the perfect stage to be laid out before me to deal with all my 'stuff'.
All of those things that I need to work through to be a working vessel in His Name.
I encourage you to have some self-reflection today.
Don't wait for a parasite to do it. Believe me, it's not fun – AT ALL.
But if you feel it would help – you can have mine, haha. 😉
<3tasha
