“Grant, O Lord, that I may be
conscious and grateful
for all the good things
you have given to me.”
~from SacredSpace.ie
Sometimes it takes three years to fully recognize a
blessing.
In the midst of handbell practice this week, it suddenly hit
me what a blessing it was to be able to play the bells again. It is a music
ministry that I love and have joined in several of our churches. But in 2015, I
was forced to give it up.
Our church at the time had a fledgling handbell choir. We
debuted earlier that year and then had taken the summer off. In the meantime,
my doctors discovered I had breast cancer and I underwent surgery and followed
up with chemotherapy.
When September rolled around, although still undergoing
treatment, I eagerly attended our first handbell practice of the season. To my
dismay, I quickly learned that I needed to take a hiatus from my involvement in
the bell choir. When you are playing the bells, and your notes end, you bring
the bells up and dampen them on both sides of the upper part of your chest.
My chemotherapy required a port implanted in the upper part
of my chest on the right side, like a cap from a water bottle just under the
skin. My upper left side was still a strange mix of tender/numb from the surgery.
So, when I dampened my bells, I felt immediate discomfort on both sides. I
tried to adjust my playing technique around the port and the surgery scars, but
couldn’t find a way to do that and still concentrate on the notes I was to
play. I reluctantly took an extended leave of absence from playing the bells. In
the meantime, our handbell choir dissolved.
I missed the comradery and the joy of being part of an
instrument of praise. So, when we learned we were moving, I was thrilled to hear
that our new church had a bell choir—and needed a few ringers!
This week, as I stood at the table with my fellow bell
ringers, God gently but powerfully reminded me of how far He has brought me in
the last three years. My heart flooded with thanksgiving for the blessing of
playing the bells again, pain-free.
Be encouraged!
©2018 Pamela D. Williams
