I roused awake at 4:40. Seems my internal clock didn’t realize it was Sunday, and I realized I had a dull headache. I immediately went from “Ugh, I hate headaches” to “Thank you, Lord, for autumn.” I dozed back to sleep and got up at 6:30 to bake a corn cake for the Jubilee Celebration Meal.
As I mixed up the batter, my head contined to be irked by the pain of a weather-change-headache, but I refused to let it win.
Off to Calvary to run through the music with the praise team.
Oh, how I love to sing His praises, so I refused to let my headache steal my joy. However, I admit singing with your heart often makes a headache worse. Yet, the pain doesn’t generally hit until the song ends. Alas, I kept singing because the truths of the lyrics were so true and worthy of being brought to His throne.
Off to my Sunday School class to share prayer concerns and praises. As we began our study on First Kings, I had the joy of reading aloud part of the chapter one. I LOVE reading aloud, so I was thankfull to be able to read part of the chapter before exiting to greet worshipers. As I took my post at the welcome center, I thought, “You really should’ve taken something for this headache because you know it’s not going away.” However, those thoughts were pushed aside by fellowship with friends prior to the beginning of worship.
Then, I took my post on the platform to begin helping Pastor JC in the leading of worship. I offered a prayer of thanksgiving that today my allergy attack was a headache with just an occassional voice crack rather than a hacking cough or bristled voice.
The singing commenced. Members were recognized for years of commitment as I stayed standing until “Over 40 years” was announced. When it was time for the offering, the praise team sang a song that I’m not sure I knew prior to our Wednesday practice. Yet, each time I listened and sang it since then it would stir my heart to worship and thanksgiving. JC had suggested we each sing a verse if we felt comfortable, so I jumped on the second verse as it was the one that brought tears to my eyes while singing it at home. The song is “Loving My Jesus” by Casting Crowns, so my verse was…
Sin tries to make you hide
Whispers that same old lie
Keep all your pain inside
‘Cause no one will understand
The last thing this lost world needs
Is someone I’m trying to be
Truth that has set me free
Is that I’m just a broken man 
Pastor Mike’s message was on being generous using the passage 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, and it reminded me how being generous wasn’t just something that happens. We’re called to be intentional in blessing others with not only our finances but also our time and talents.
After the service ended, we were going to gather in the fellowship hall to enjoy the Jubilee meal. Before doing so, my brother-in-law went out to his truck just to get me some ibuprofen to try and calm the headache which had grown from its dull ache to a throbbing pain. Yet, I refused to let it win.
As I went through the buffet line, a mother of a small child was trying to work salad tongs, which had closed, with a toddler on her right side and the tongs in her left hand. Suddenly, the lock fell and salad shot across the table right onto my black flowered dress. Oh how I laughed! Those who know me will understand that I don’t mean a little chuckle…I laugh like I sing…with full gusto. This guffaw of joy was like a hammer against my temples.
My plate and I made our way to a table. Delicious! The meal was quite tasty. I sat looking at my friend Patti who does so much for our church, She coordinated the meal and never did sit down to eat. In fact, as I was packing up my practically-empty corn cake pan, she was using the scraps in the pans as her meal. You see she served us the entire meal and had not gotten a plate of food. As I was getting ready to leave, she said, “If you give me a minute, I can wash that pan right up for you.” Um, no. She had worked preparing before today and worked throughout the two hours prior to the meal. I was fully capable of washing my pan. [It’s currently soaking.]
Home from church. Dress clothes changed into my robe. Dishes soaking in the sink. Felines fed. Me? I was getting ready for a Sunday afternoon nap in hopes of it fading my headache. Alas, I knew I couldn’t sleep until I wrote the words in my head and heart.
You see, my allergies make me a human barometer. It’s easy to let them have authority over my itenerary. However, the joy of singing His praise, worshiping with my church familly, and celebrating His goodness with our Jubilee meal were far more important than resting my headache away.
So, the good, the bad, and the ugly of allergies won’t steal my joy, but it may steal my afternoon and give me great excuse for a nap!
Jodi Lea Pflaumer, Author 