Hello everyone. Today is the 6th of my agoraphobia challenge, my second location, and my second visit to my mother in her Care Home. The weather forecast is much better for this morning than for the afternoon, so my sister and I plan to go for a walk before lunch, saving the visit for the afternoon. I would have preferred this arrangement the other way round, to get the hardest bit out of the way first, but it isn’t going to work out that way.
I’ve suggested a large local country park for our walk. It’s a place we often went to when I was young, so I’m interested to see how I feel when I’m there. I’ve had some very bad panic attacks during walks over the years, but more recently have been better at recognising my anxiety as it starts to rise, and just staying with it, without escalating it. Time will tell.
When I’m out in the countryside, it helps me a lot that I can see God shining out of everything around me, and something of this is reflected in the morning’s prayer:
You speak
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1; NLT).
God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis 1:3; NLT).
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known (Psalm 19:1-2; NLT).
I will wake the dawn with my song (Psalm 57:8; NLT).
*******************************
Lord,
Each day
You speak the earth
Into renewal.
Each day
You sing, to light
The heavens above.
Each day,
You dance all creatures
Into waking.
Each day
You smile, to fill us
With your love.