Jimbo's Jots

I had a physical with my doctor this past week. When I was getting checked in, the nurse took me through the usual routine – weight (including cleaning out my pockets so that didn’t add any pounds), height, pulse and blood pressure. I sit in a chair in the room. She starts my blood pressure measurement by wrapping the band around my arm fairly securely. My arm has not moved, resting comfortably on the chair next to me with my hand on the chair. As the band begins to tighten on my arm, I can feel the increased tension on my arm to the point where I’m thinking there is a loss of blood to my hand and my hand will eventually fall off. The machine beep indicates that we’re done. To which the nurse says, “WOAH!” You really don’t want to hear those words. BP was a bit high. She says, “Let’s try this again.” Same routine. A minute later, another beep and another “WOAH!” Same reading. She says, “We’re going to let the doctor check it.”

My doctor walks in and greets me with his usual greeting. He says, “I guess we need to check your BP.” The next thing he says is, “Let’s move you over to this chair and have you put your arm on the table. I want you to relax yourself too.” Done! Same routine – band, arm falling off, release. This time, a much better measure – within where I’m supposed to be.

With a simple instruction of move and relax, my doctor was able to get a truer reading of my blood pressure. How many times do we allow the pressure of our lives to dictate how we react? And feel that this is how life is and we treat the pressure when even just changing where we are can often provide a short intermission from the pressure we feel? I often tell clients to take time for having these moments of quiet. In some cases, they may need to step away from the stress to a different location. A long time ago, on a television most likely near you, you heard a stressed out mom scream, “Calgon!! Take me away!!” And all of a sudden, she is taken away and she would peacefully be sitting in a tub.

As I finished my appointment, I thought of Psalm 23:2-3.

“You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath.” (The Message)

I love this idea of God sitting us down in green meadows and leading us by the quiet waters. He moves us and tells us to relax. Maybe you need your quiet pool moment and catch your breath. Maybe you need to move and relax. God has provided the spot for you, just follow the shepherd’s (or doctor’s) order.

Be blessed! Be a blessing to others!