Apparently my 40-day period in the desert this year is going to involve getting through a bout with shingles, and I experienced a number of angels ministering to me yesterday and today.

I wrote these words back at the beginning of February, over 6 weeks ago. In some sense, this has been period in a dry and arid desert. I was not able to do my normal activities because of my illness. I was not able to get out and about as much. I was stuck, and I was hurting. The desert was being right here in my messy house, sitting at this messy desk, struggling with impatience over my 43-Things goals and my lack of progress, struggling with temptation to feel sorry for myself and to worry and procrastinate.

And yet, in the midst of this desert, I discovered hidden springs of living water. I discovered others attempting to faithfully observe Lent in their own ways and report on their progress. I discovered time to read and pray and meditate. I discovered time to rest and to heal. I discovered time to spend on 43-Things: working on flylady babysteps; reading more entries; writing more daily goals and gratitude lists; writing more comments and giving more cheers; gathering up the cheers and comments I received and knitting them into extra gumption. Gumption to keep wrestling with my old demons, and to dare to try a few new goals. I discovered friends and family who didn’t desert me. And when I did manage to get out, I discovered and appreciated the smallest signs of spring, of new life, of resurrection.