Rejoice in Hope.

Its been a sick week. A week of the slow nursing of self. Time focused on *me*... Where the gifts have been sleep late, ice cream cool on a sore throat, dogs walked by someone else...head heavy on a pillow.

But the hard part has been dealing with asthma. I take a steroid inhalor. Up until now I've been using only a rescue inhalor. In September my Dr decided 4 trips to the ER because of my asthma in one year was too much and so the prescription is Advair once in the morning and once before bed for the entirety of the cold...to prevent the asthma flare up in the first place.

Steroids. Wonderful Horrible things. I am so thankful that my chest isn't tight. I'm not coughing. I'm not out of breath.
But my blood pressure is up. I'm restless and anxious. Stir-crazy.

Mom assures me that over time my reactions to Advair will lessen. Rejoice in hope. This is just one of the many things in life that we look at as a bother rather than receiving as a blessing.

Breathe in promise. Breathe out hope. Asthma, part of my life's beauty. The kind my eye has to strain to see. But its teaching me: "Rejoice in hope. Be patient in tribulation." Romans 12:12