Blisters (June 8th excerpt from "Pace Yourself: 366 Devotions from the Daily Grind," set to be released in mid-May

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(Originally written June 8, 2008)

Blisters. They create an incredible amount of pain per square millimeter. I’ve had plenty of agonizing friction wounds that at the time, seemed to surpass the pain of childbirth. Even the smallest of blisters can distract to the point of being oblivious to everything else. Just ask Seth.


For some unfathomable reason, Seth and a couple of his buddies decided to run barefoot on scorching hot tennis courts prior to their soccer game today. Why? I have no earthly idea. For Seth, however, the fun was short-lived as the tender skin on the balls of his feet disconnected with the tissue beneath, producing half dollar-sized blisters. He realized the consequences of his gleeful jaunt as soon as he donned his soccer cleats and took to the field. Eventually, several hundred milligrams of ibuprofen dulled the pain enough to allow him to score a hat-trick in the second half. But now, he is dealing with the reality of the situation.

He and a buddy have a hiking trip planned, starting tomorrow at noon. As a warm up for a photography hike through Yosemite, the plan is to put in thirty miles in two days with fully loaded packs. Thus, wounded feet come at a really bad time. Miles walked on rocky trails, up and down mountains, and under a full load are sure to be a constant reminder of the one minute when his brain lagged far behind his enthusiasm.

Lots of us do the same. We make instant decisions without much thought about consequences. We dive right in on a whim or a guttural response. If we had only taken time to consider the ramifications, we could have avoided much pain and agony.

Personally, I can’t count the number of times I have “opened mouth, inserted foot.” Don’t you just hate it when you mess up and instantly know it—with no way to take it back? The damage is done. So, recall the words of Solomon.


“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways. . .” (Proverbs 14:8a)


Daily challenge: Look before you leap.

Comments

Craig said…
good words, if only we could learn this.
March 31, 2010 at 9:45 AM
Rebekah Trittipoe said…
Thanks, Craig. I'm amazed at my own stupidity sometimes!
March 31, 2010 at 12:41 PM
Rick Gray said…
Rebekah, Now you have done it. I am so mad at your right now. How on earth can I wait until mid May to get my copy of "Pace Yourself". I was already looking so forward to mid May, but now you have made that wait even worse. I hate the fact that Seth had to be the victim of such a painful adventure, but I am glad that we can learn from his adventure without having to participate. Solomon was a certainly a wise man, but you are pretty wise yourself. I will look before I leap, but I will also look foward to "Pace Yourself" so that I can learn even more! Rick
March 31, 2010 at 1:10 PM
Rebekah Trittipoe said…
Oh Rick...you always know what to say!
March 31, 2010 at 5:50 PM
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