Therapist, Tenseness and Tennis

I just got home from The Nord. I scheduled a massage a couple of weeks ago and the timing was perfect. Really, it is just Tuesday of the week and I am already for it to be over. After a productive visit with Cheryl the therapist/coach I returned to work, talked to Ben about taking the Birkman test, and then found out a couple of ministry things are coming back to us...to me and Jason. You can really read Nancy in that. It is not all bad but one person in particular who I'll have to talk to is a whiner and is very patronizing when she talks to you and when she calls and needs something done...which a dime will get you a donut, will be last minute, I get the impression that she thinks I am just sitting there with nothing to do. Sorry about the world's longest run on sentence. She has no clue how many plates I am spinning.


When I left the office yesterday with a high blood pressure headache I turned up the volume on Praise 92.1, the inspiration station...for African Americans and well...me. The song playing was, The Battle is the Lord's. This morning when I left to pick up the Starbucks for our Ministries meeting, guess what song was playing, The Battle is the Lord's. I laughed and told the Lord, OK, OK, I get your message. It all belongs to you, why should I worry and fret?


My visit with Cheryl was awesome yesterday. We had to take a little step into therapy cause I had an issue come up that previously I have handled well, but did not do so on Sunday. Once we got that worked through... I will be the wiser Nancy and know not to walk into that mistake again, we began our forward thinking as Cheryl being more of a life coach for me. I have some assignments before our next visit. I took the Birkman test today. I get so dyslexic with true/false questions. So who knows how that turned out.

One thing that I brought to the appointment yesterday was something I found while cleaning out a cabinet on Saturday. I don't remember who wrote this, but it is something I read almost every day before playing tennis. It still speaks to me although I no longer play. It reminds me of life and how hard it can be at times. I am reminded that it takes more than a tough mind set, but it takes the mind of Christ. In our devotion time in staff meeting this morning Jason reminded us after Don's wonderful devo that the disciples were fishermen and they should be experienced with storms and how to handle the boat and themselves. But they were afraid and went to Jesus. Jason said sometimes our storms are in the things we know best and we need to let go of what little control we think we have and surrender it all to the Lord Jesus Christ.

"The game of tennis is never fair. It's nothing but a continuous series of problems. My mental edge is knowing that I will manage problems better than my opponent. I'm at my best when problems start cropping up. Problems challenge my spirit and bring out the fighter in me. Problems make me tougher.

Give me problems! Lots of problems! Give me wind, give me pushers, give me cheaters,; bring them all on. I'm becoming a great problem solver. And when the next big one comes, I'll face it eye to eye, smile inside and say will all the feeling I can muster- I love it!


Show me a tennis player who's surprised at what is transpiring on the court and I will show you a tennis player who's in trouble. Players go into matches expecting everything to be perfect. When they get cheated, face rain delays, have the strings in their favorite racquet break or their forehand is gone, they're shocked. Panic sets in and they turn negative.

Being a great problem solver means you've learned flexibility and resilience in the face of adversity. You can take a punch, you can bounce back-no panic, no complaining, no rage. You simply fight smarter and more effectively."





Well, there you have it. Now I am going to bed. I got a deep tissue massage on my back and feet tonight. I need to read Psalm 18 again and know that I can leap over a wall and run over a troop in the strength of God. I have to tell you, I love Him so!!! The Battle Belongs to the Lord!