Painful choices...

It was a day for that yesterday, both physical and emotional.

First, I seem to have strained something in my back over the weekend. I don't know what I did-- I have a history of back problems, even had surgery several years ago, to correct a couple of herniated discs-- so I'm generally pretty cautious; but whatever it was, I apparently did it very well.

The good news: Ibuprofen and disposable heat wraps are wondrous things, and really help to bring the pain down to manageable levels.

The bad news: Manageable is not pain-free. And, though I'd like to, I really couldn't take anything stronger during the day, driving as much as I needed to. So I was hobbling a bit, and moving gingerly. Still am.

Secondly, I had to be part of a difficult conversation yesterday, with one of our shelter residents. She's been at Grace House for several months, and (for many reasons) has reached the point of being faced with a choice: to begin to step up, and make the effort (with lots of help and support offered) toward living on her own; or to move out, and find somewhere else to stay. She's thinking, and supposed to let us know what she wants to do today. I am praying hard that she chooses to accept the hands held out to her, for her sake as well as her children's.