I was reading a short bio of Peter Celestine, a man who lived to be 75--from 1221-1276. He enjoyed a solitary life in mountainous region for three years when a young man. During this time in solitude, as often occurs, he was assailed by the devil in various formats from physical assaults to emotional pain to mental temptations and despair. Yet he continued to pray despite the assaults, and it was the praying without any consolations which pleased God very much.
So I will attempt to continue praying, and to keep going with getting up and limping about, trying to loosen the arm somewhat by laying more cardboard and spreading more ground, black bark. I'll try to figure out the sprinkler problems, and I may have to succumb to calling this man who charged $167 last spring to get them adjusted and one repaired--for about 20 minutes of effort. I don't have abundance of money to toss to the able-bodied with ability to earn and ask whatever price; however, the able-bodied, of course, deserve wages, just wages, and by God's grace are healthy.
And that I was able to invest in an abode that has (as do all places in this hot clime) a sprinkler system is a luxury by the vast majority of the world's human standings. I had no idea how costly are these systems, to keep them up and running, and now I am fairly sure that one "zone" must have a break in the piping under the ground so will need to dig and locate or start over with trying to bury a new line. That is, if I can find the old line of pipe to hook up. Alas, my body is not in any shape for that task.
Maybe, indeed, the humility and reality of my failures and foolishness on many levels and accounts, is worth paying that price. But first I'll try one other "fix" that I'd forgotten to do in a pipe I'd accidentally stabbed with the pitchfork. But that repair did not improve the water pressure on zone 5.... Now I am fairly sure that there must be a break in the piping under the ground so will need to dig and locate or start over with trying to bury a new line, if I could find the old one to hook up to--and my body is not in any shape for that task.
It has been too costly for me, and humbling, my being ignorant of how much these systems cost for upkeep, how easily they break, even with sprinkler heads that go awry in a year's time. Humbling 'tis to also notice that others in the neighborhood have no problems whatsoever--continuation of the abundance of temporal trials plaguing since the pivotal date in which the Lord bequeathed a life of suffering.
Yes, I must continue to pray and to PRAISE GOD even in the added unexpected sufferings and the surgery needed right away, as I cannot continue mentally, physically, and emotionally with this level of nerve pain in the hand and arm. Plus there are other sorrows which cut me to the core of my heart and mind, of having had to face of relationships lost, died, and must be buried other than to love and pray for them. Pray and Praise and Love--without consolation. This is a challenge, a good one! Life on!
I shall consider St. Peter Celestine who as a young man learned the grace of praying and loving God regardless circumstances. He learned or perhaps by innate humility and love, He prayed and loved without consolations. I am reminded by Peter Celestine and many others who held firm and steady in the face of trials, retaining their love of God and prayed as if in perpetual dark or regardless constant suffering--no consolations, no perks, no nothing but stillness and silence and solitude.
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