Update:
Wednesday morning I was up and dressed for an 8:30 a.m. departure for a
church Elders’ meeting. I wore my
prosthetic leg but used the wheelchair for getting from the house to the car
and back again. I was going to be sitting
all morning but I wanted to get done some of my 4½ hours of wearing my
prosthetic today. One of the others
going to the meeting came by to carpool.
I had a time getting into his car.
My prosthetic leg doesn’t bend like my real one. After sitting down, I had to slide part way
into the driver’s seat to get my leg inside the car. After that I was able to sit normally in the
passenger seat. I’m certain that it will
get better as I learn more and the leg is adjusted to me better. After a while in the meeting, I took my leg
off to rest my stump. One of the home owner’s cats found the leg standing
there. He was very inquisitive and a bit
jumpy as he checked out this leg just standing all by itself.
After lunch I started working on my message for Sunday. I know that after getting my eye injection on
Friday, I really won’t be able to use the computer until Saturday afternoon, so
I’ve got to get some mileage on it now.
I after dinner with my wife, I watched an hour of TV, and then worked on
the message until bedtime.
Wearing my prosthesis today was not bad. It hurt walking a bit; but just sitting or
standing is fine. I think it will take a
couple of weeks of wearing it to find it comfortable all the time.
Thursday is my first physical therapy appointment for walking
training. I am looking forward to
learning more about my leg and how to use it.
I am certain that it will be adjusted more tomorrow too. I am not certain what else to expect; but I
am excited. My son, Joshua, is going to
meet me at the hospital to help me get to my appointment. It is a LONG walk from the parking garage to
the physical therapy room. I’ll take the
wheelchair and let him push me most of the way.
I don’t want to be worn out when I arrive for my session. Josh will take some photos/video of the
appointment. Our plan is that we will go
out to eat together after it is all done.
I’m cooking dinner tonight because Karen only has a 30 minute window to
eat. So I will get some stand up time on
my leg; although right now it makes doing things difficult since I have to use
a walker. Fortunately our kitchen is not
too spread out. I can get things out of
the fridge and reach across to put them on the countertop. Then I can shuffle them down the cabinet to
where I need them. Getting plates from
the cabinet in the dining room is another thing altogether. Yesterday, I grabbed a plate and then tried
to figure out how to hold it and put some of my weight on the walker at the
same time. I had on a pair of sweat
pants, so I eventually tucked the plate into my waistband and then went into
the kitchen. “Is that sanitary? It looks questionable to me!” Needless to say, I cannot do that with food
on my plate, so I get back in the wheelchair and balance the plate on my lap as
I move it to the table.
I told my wife that I felt a bit like I was writing a soap opera with
Monday’s happy, upbeat “I’m walking!” and then on Tuesday I introduce a new
disaster that I have to overcome. I
said, “I feel like I’m trying to spice things up with a new disaster so that I
maintain readership.” Yes, that is
exactly why I messed my eyes up—so I would have something interesting for you
to read! NOT!!! My wife suggested that after we resolve this
crisis, that we not start a new crisis—instead just let things simmer
down. I agree and that is our plan. We’ll see how that works out for us.
I have to tell you that I was hesitant about writing anything concerning
my vision problems. I hadn’t said too
much before yesterday because I assumed my vision issue would resolve and my
eyesight would be restored. I also
thought I’ve already shared so much publicly—do I really want to share this as
well? Then I realized that writing is
cathartic for me. It helps me to process
this era of my life. But I also realized
that everyone that reads this is a part of my extended support team. Some of you make comments, some “Like” my
posts, some e-mail or call me, some offer prayers and other support, and some
are just quietly reading. But knowing
that others are watching and listening to what is happening to me—really does
give me a boost and helps me get over or around every obstacle that I
face. So, “Thank you!” I hope you find some encouragement to face
the difficulties in your life and to draw closer to God in the process.
Reminder: You can find these updates on my FaceBook
page; you can contact me and I can put you on an e-mail list so they get sent
to you each day; or you can find all 99 (so far) updates and videos on my blog
at stevenhurd.blogspot.com (There is no
www. or @). Feel free to share or pass
my updates and thoughts along to anyone you think they might benefit.
Thought for the Day:
John 3:16 “For God
so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Ephesians 3:19 “May you experience the love of
Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made
complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (NLT).
“Some of you are so hungry for such love. Those who should have loved you didn’t. Those who could have loved you wouldn’t. You were left at the hospital. Left at the
altar. Left with an empty bed. Left with a broken heart. Left with your
question, ‘Does anybody love me?’ Please
listen to heaven’s answer. As you ponder
Him [Christ] on the cross, hear God assure, ‘I do’” [Max Lucado, It’s Not About
Me].
“But who has plumbed the depths of God’s love? Only God has. ‘Want to
see the size of my love?’ he invites. ‘Ascend
the winding path outside of Jerusalem.
Follow the dots of bloody dirt until you crest the hill. Before looking up, pause and hear the
whisper, ‘This is how much I love you.’
Whip-ripped muscles drape His back.
Blood rivulets over His face. His
eyes and lips are swollen shut. Pain
rages at wildfire intensity. As He sinks
to relieve the agony of His legs, His airway closes. At the edge of suffocation, He shoves pierced
muscles against the spike and inches up the cross. He does this for hours. Painfully up and down until His strength and
our doubts are gone. Does God love you?
Behold the cross and behold your answer” [Max Lucado, It’s Not About Me].
John 15:13 “Greater
love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”.
As you go through this day
remember that it was God’s love for you that sent Christ to the cross. God so desperately wanted to be able to renew
His relationship with you and me that He paid the ultimate sacrifice. A sacrificial price that we ourselves could
never pay. Our lives were forfeit
because of our sins and failings—that is the price we owed; but because of our
sinfulness, our own deaths could never fully cover our debt. Only the death of someone who never had
sinned His entire life could pay our debt.
When we wonder, “Why did Christ die on the cross?” He did it for you and for me, in order to set
us free and to restore our relationship with God.
All we have to do is accept
God’s gift of love. Claim what has been
set aside and reserved for us. We don’t
deserve this kind of love. You cannot
earn this kind of love. You can never
really repay Him for this kind of love.
It is a gift. It is free. It is for you and for me.
Here is my prayer for you…
Ephesians 3:19 “May you experience the love of
Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made
complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (NLT).
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