Update:
I spent time Thursday morning cooking some chili so I would have a
readily available lunch on hand and got ready for my physical therapy
appointment in the afternoon. I made the
mistake of trying to grab lunch at the newly re-opened Wendy’s in Eau
Claire. They are still working on the
parking lot so there were lots of construction vehicles mixed in with all the
crazy people who had the same idea for lunch as I did. I got one of their salads and it was pretty
good; but definitely not worth the wait.
At PT I learned a few new exercises that I need to be working on. I’ve been getting a stiff neck on my left
side and my right calf keeps cramping; so I got some exercises to work those
out as well. So far I have been walking with
the cane in my right hand to help me with my prosthesis on my left leg. I now walk so well that they want me to switch
and use the cane in my left hand to help take some weight off of my right
leg. Switching hands with the cane is
actually tougher than it sounds. Think
about learning how to swing a golf club improperly and then trying to retrain
yourself to use the proper swing. As
long as I don’t think about it, it comes pretty naturally; but if I think about
it I can get out of synch. As my therapist
said, “Don’t think about it; just do it.”
As crazy as that sounds, it works.
Eventually left-handed use will feel as natural as my right-handed use
does now—but it will take some getting use to.
During this past week, I resumed riding along as a chaplain with the
police. It was nice to get to spend some
time with an officer one-on-one. I also
was called out this week by the police to assist a family in need. It felt good to help someone in a tough
situation and allow the officers the freedom to get their work done while I
stayed with the family. I’m also
scheduled to be a member of a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
debriefing in a few days. Our emergency
responders often experience terrible things and sometimes it overloads their
coping mechanisms; I serve on a regional team to help them work through the
aftermath. I am grateful for the
opportunity I have to resume my duties as a chaplain to these fine men and
women who serve our communities. Please
pray for those who serve (military, police, firefighters, EMS, etc.)—it’s a
tough job.
Thought for the Day:
Psalm 103:8-11 “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to
anger and abounding in steadfast love. He
will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our
sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast
love toward those who fear him;”
Psalm
50:15 “…call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver
you, and you shall glorify me.”
John 9:1-3 “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was
born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his
parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might
be displayed in him.’”
When disaster strikes it is normal to wonder what
went wrong. We like to have something
solid to blame the event on. Did the
airplane crash because of pilot error, mechanical failure, or hijackers? Did the person’s illness take place because
he failed to take care of himself or did his treatment fail? Was anyone negligent?
Sometimes we wonder, “Where was God in all of this?” Why didn’t He do something? Doesn’t He care? Isn’t He able?” We ask ourselves whether there was anything
that we could have done to prevent it from happening. We wonder if someone else is at fault for
what has befallen us. WHY? Why did this
happen?
“Your pain has a purpose. Your problems, struggles, heartaches, and
hassles cooperate toward one end—the glory of God… Is there any chance, any possibility, that
you have been selected to struggle for God’s glory? Have you ‘been granted for
Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake’
(Philippians 1:29)? …Are people
strengthened by your struggles? ...Rather than begrudge your problem, explore
it. Ponder it. And most of all, use it. Use it to the glory of God.” [Max Lucado, It’s Not About Me].
Sometimes it is good just to know that we haven’t
failed and that God hasn’t failed us.
Our situation may not have changed but everything looks different when
we realize that God has a purpose and could be glorified by how we go through our
experiences. When we go through rough
waters with peace, courage, unbelievable strength and fortitude; when we
reflect these things to the people who are watching us—we show them God at
work. We allow them to see a life
touched by Jesus. What we have gone
through remains evil and ugly; but to some degree it has been redeemed and it
is wonderful when God is seen.
Ask God to enable you to show others the power and
wonder of God—not because trouble never touches you—but in how your respond and
how you live in the midst of difficulty.
Let the things that you face count for something and allow them to bring
about something worthwhile and wonderful.
Get the last laugh on trouble, suffering, and disaster. Take something that it is ugly and make it
have a beautiful core. People will
marvel and wonder at what they are seeing when they observe you if you do.
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