"It's perfect for my room!" was her justification in our purchasing it. We liked the chair, too, and since we knew we could use another chair we decided to buy it as well. Eventually the chair ended up, not in her room, but in our living room.
That chair is a wonderful example of the Lord's prevenient provision. Webster's defines the word prevenient as antecedent or anticipatory. On more than one occasion, that chair proved to be so.
On February 14, 2006, at the age of 48, I had my tonsils removed. As Dickens says, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." It was the best of times because it was absolutely one of the best things I have ever done for myself and I wish I had done it much earlier.
It was the worst of times because at 48, having a tonsillectomy is very painful. Very painful. Did I mention the pain? I lost fourteen pounds because I didn't eat more than a couple tablespoons of food for several days. I remember at one point putting my head down on the dining room table and just sobbing. And this was with narcotics on board every three hours around the clock!
Before my surgery, I had been given some great instruction from a friend at work who had also had her tonsils out as an adult. "You'll have to sleep sitting up for several days," she told me. I didn't really believe that was true, but the first time I tried to lay down, I thought my ears were going to explode. That's where the chaise lounge came in. It was so comfortable, and so supportive, with it's big cushiony arms and pillow, sleeping sitting up was as cozy as being in my own bed. I was very thankful for that chair.
In the winter of 2005, continuing to do push-ups after injuring my shoulder was a bad decision. It led to "adhesive capsulitis" or more commonly called, "frozen shoulder." This was easily one of the most difficult and painful periods of my life, lasting for over a year. I couldn't raise my arm, I couldn't brush my hair, I couldn't even pull my pants up on that side.
Sleeping was impossible. If I laid on the "affected" side, my shoulder would be in horrible pain. If I was on my back, my arm would fall down and put more pressure on my shoulder which was painful. If I was on the opposite side, my arm would fall forward and pull on my shoulder causing pain. There was no comfortable position and no sleep. Alas, there was the chaise lounge.
When I was in that chair, the arms of the chair and the big pillow behind my back cradled my arm and shoulder. There was no pressure from anywhere and I was able to sleep. It was a blessing and truly a "God-send."
I have no doubt the day we were in the furniture store looking at the chair, the Lord knew what was to befall me in a few years. That chair was in the store for one purpose and there was a reason all three of us liked it when we saw it. He knew it was going to meet a need later on down the road.
I wonder how many times that happens and we never even realize it? How many times has the Lord supplied our needs before we even realized we had a need? I wonder how great will be our awe and surprise in Glory when we discover just how much our Lord has done for us.
Now lest you think the chair is just for recuperation, I love to sit in it and read. It is right next to the window and the western light softly shines in through the shutters. Sparrow, the sweetest beagle that ever lived loves to climb up in the chair with me and cuddle up against my legs. Soon, both she and I are usually fast asleep napping away.
The chair to me is a tangible evidence that my Lord loves me and has, is now and ever will be taking very good care of me.
"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer;
and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
Isaiah 65:24
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