February 23, 2012 Pollen and the Fall

February 23, 2012

I am pretty sure I have the allergy equivalent of "sundowning."  It seems when the sun begins its descent, my descent into the pit of histamine and pollen commences.  I sneeze and blow my way into an oblivion every night during the twilight hours.  Am I allergic to the absence of sunlight? Is there a special night flower or tree that only pollutes the air I breathe under the cover of darkness?  I have no idea, but it is rather miserable.  Once Jay mentioned in a sermon when he was under a similar attack from his personal nemesis of ragweed that since God made ragweed it had to have some useful role in creation, right?  A sweet friend of ours corrected him that perhaps ragweed is related to the fall.  It was a great reminder that we do indeed live in a fallen world- fallen in all ways.  In a couple of days, we are taking a trip to the mountains of Colorado where I will be surrounded by the amazing beauty of God's creation.  When I am sitting in my little house feeling like a thousand army ants are marching up my throat and setting up residence in my nasal passages, it is humbling to remember that all that I am and all that I am surrounded by daily is a part of God's creation but is marred by the sin of this world.  To one day stand before my Creator without the barrier of sin (or allergies!) is truly something to long for with gratitude.