Disappointment

Today began very early (5:30 am to be exact) as I had a breakfast meeting before I was to head down to the Festival of Homiletics. So I got up and walked Scout and headed off to my meeting, On the Other Side of Town.

For some reason, by the time I got there, I didn't feel that well. This was a special fund-raising breakfast for our church-based community organizing group, Isaiah. I was very impressed with the testimony, and a special video they had created regarding issues like creating jobs for low-wage workers, and empowering victims of domestic violence. I won't speak for the people from my congregation, though; sometimes the things that inspire and energize me are not the same for them. I'll be checking in with them to find out what they thought.

I headed down to the Festival, still feeling -- oh, not quite right -- and headed to the worship. The preacher was Carol Miles, a new professor at my seminary. She talked about the cross as a compass. Next was the highly regarded Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann. He requested that, before the beginning of his lecture, we sing Love Divine, All Loves Excelling. I found that I had tears in my eyes by the end of the song.

Unfortunately, this was not just because the song was so moving.

I was developing a migraine.

My story is, that I don't get migraines very often. In fact, for a long time, I called them "sinus headaches." And I usually only got 2-3 a year. But, recently I have learned that they are not really sinus headaches. They really are migraines.

The good news is that I finally have medication that I can take for my headaches. When I had "sinus headaches" I never had any medication that would touch them.

The bad news is that I did not bring this medication with me. Remember: I don't get migraines very often. That's my story. And I had one last week, took the medication right away, and it was gone.

I ended up having to leave the Festival before the lecture I was most looking forward to: Barbara Brown Taylor (and others) on "Writers in the Round." Words cannot express how disappointed I was.

At first, I didn't take my medication, even when I got home. The doctor told me, "take it as soon as you feel a twinge," which I took to mean, "It won't work if you wait." Finally, I called the Nurseline, and she told me to go ahead and take one. It worked.

So, I didn't get to experience as much of the Festival as I would have liked today. But I learned 2 things (at least)

1. Always take my migraine medication with me.
2. It works, even if I wait too long.