A Bad Break

On Nov. 14, 2009, my horse spooked while we were out near the highway. I fell off and landed on my left hand. Even though the pain was severe and the horse was jittery, I managed to get back up in the saddle and return to the ranch. The ranch owner gave me some ice for my arm. I called Daniel, who came to help me with the horse. He wanted to take me to a walk in clinic, but I declined. Later, I thought Mark should take a look at it since he has lots of experience with bones. After showering and changing, I waited for Mark and Della to stop by. He suggested I visit a walk in clinic, too. The doctor at the clinic took x-rays. He said it wasn't broken, so he wrapped it and gave me instructions. He suggested that I check with my orthopedic doctor on Monday. Dr. Patterson's receptionist said he could not see me until Dec., so I made an appointment with an orthopedic doctor near my work place. He could not see me until Tuesday. He took x-rays and concluded that I had a collie fracture, which needed a cast. When I mentioned in passing that Dr. P couldn't see me, he called Dr. P's office and made an appointment for me. The next day, Dr. P checked my wrist, took x-rays, and told me it was such a bad break that I would need surgery. He planned to be out of the country in just a few days, so he referred me to Dr. Hess in Tampa. I hoped to have Dr. P do the surgery, but he said it couldn't wait until his return. Thursday, I went to Brandon to see Dr. Hess. He confirmed that it was a bad break and needed surgery. He said I would need an incision on both sides of my wrist and some plates and bone chips. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, my surgery went well. I only needed an incision on the back side of my wrist. He also did a carpal tunnel release on my left palm. The block for the pain in my arm wore off before we arrived at home. Man, that felt weird! The pain was quite severe, so I took lots of pain medication. Although I was thankful for a good surgery, I didn't enjoy my food or family much on Thanksgiving Day. The pain medication made me sleepy. I did not work much in December. My physical therapy sessions were twice a week for about a month. The physical therapists expected hard work and no excuses or complaining. I learned a lot from my recovery. A person can do much more than he/she thinks possible by not giving up or giving in. Pain is my friend, maybe not my best friend; but it serves an important service. I had a second surgery at the end of July in 2010 to remove the plate, which was irritating my ligament. The second time, I did solo physical therapy. I am happy to say that I have full use of my hand. I praise God for working many good things out of this bad break. I am reminded of Romans 8:28-29. I am thankful for God's leading me to the right treatment of my wrist. Had I gone with the first or second prognosis, I probably wouldn't be able to use my dominant hand properly. I am thankful for insurance, even though it was not the best plan available. I am thankful for family members that did many of my chores while I was incapacitated. I am thankful for all the medical staff that helped me through all the visits, surgeries, and procedures.I think I learned patience through this difficult time. I also learned that I can trust God to take care of me no matter what circumstances come my way. I am back in the saddle now. I had my saddle resurfaced with suede so that it is not so slippery. And I wear a riding helmet, too.

Every Crook and Nanny

I love spoonerisms. When someone is searching thoroughly for a missing item, he will probably look in every nook and cranny of the room. But when you say "every crook and nanny" the meaning changes.

I found a few sites that look like fun. http://www.fun-with-words.com/spoonerisms.html

Transform from Victim to Victor

Are you a victim of… Verbal abuse? Physical abuse? Sexual abuse? Someone who takes you for granted? A scam artist? Perhaps you find yourself in a situation like this: You give your boss your very best, but it never seems to satisfy him/her. Coworkers take advantage of you. Someone else can come in late or take long breaks without consequences, but not you. You seem to be the resident whipping boy or scapegoat. Your spouse does not appreciate your contributions to the relationship. It seems as if you do all the work but get no rewards for your labor. Your boyfriend/girlfriend uses you. Whether it is providing money or sex, you feel your only role is to satisfy his or her needs. Your relationship feels one-sided since you are the giver and he/she is the taker. You do more than your fair share at your church or club. When people need a job done, they call you. Although you are happy to help, you secretly resent the fact that you work harder than others. You have a big heart, so you help others whenever you can. After a while, you feel your energy sucked away. Too many people want too many things from you. You seem to be drawn to the same old kinds of relationships. You have a knack for picking losers. You try your best to help someone turn his/her life around. Instead, the relationship only drains you. A secret is tucked away in the recesses of your past. Someone abused you. The pain is too great to even think about, but the experience colors everything in your life. You wish you could shed that awful baggage, but you don’t know how. God is the designer of transformation. Just as the caterpillar can transform into the butterfly, you can transform from victim to victor. Give him a chance.

I'll Never Darken the Door of a Dentist Again!

"I'll Never Darken the Door of a Dentist Again!" It sounds a bit extreme, doesn't it? But you just don't know all the misery my family has experienced at the hands of dentists. There's the time my dentist mixed my chart records with someone else's. Later, when we moved to another town, suddenly we all had cavities that needed filling. After another move, no one in the family had cavities for years. In yet another city, I developed a need for an extreme deep cleaning. My husband swallowed his so-called permanent crown, but the dentist would take no action without the missing crown. My husband was disinclined to reuse it once it was recycled. He finally went to another dentist who declared the previous dentist did inferior work. The saga continues, but I won't bore you with the details. And I really didn't stop visiting dentists. No, I realize I can't make it on my own. I need help from someone with higher dental wisdom than I. How foolish it would be for me to stop seeing a dentist. Even though there are plenty of fools in white jackets, I just kept looking until I found someone who did quality work. But this tale does remind me of bitter words I've heard from too many people: "I'll never darken the door of a church again." They go on to tell how someone hurt their feelings or acted in a hypocritical way or failed them somehow. Their stories are indeed sad. Someone truly did them wrong. But why do they stop looking for a real place of worship and fellowship? Can't they see how self-destructive that is? To starve yourself of spiritual food is far worse than missing a few teeth. I know the sting that lingers after a slap from a so-called Christian brother. I've seen my husband used and abused by more than one "church." If he added up all the money he should have been paid from churches X, Y, and Z, then he would have a lovely nest egg. But all the insults, slights, disrespects, and cheatings from those who call themselves Christians will never be enough to make me walk away from Christ. No matter how others may treat me, my life has no quality without His influence. I could live without dentists if I must, but I can't make it without fellowship with true believers. None of us who call ourselves Christian is perfect, but we need each other.

Sweet Fellowship

I really enjoy fellowship with other Christian churches. I find it thrilling to sing God's praises with brothers and sisters from different denominations, ethnic groups, nationalities, and socio-economic levels. The varieties of music, preaching, and worship styles remind me of a garden filled with hundreds of kinds of flowers. Look around at this beautiful Earth and you can tell God loves variety in colors, textures, fragrances, tastes, and sounds. And yet we insist that others must be cookie-cutter Christians made just like us. How boring! Let's not shun other believers in Christ just because they are different. Let's embrace our family members, expecting that the only similarity between us is the love of Christ. Several years ago, I had the privilege of singing with a community choir at a Billy Graham Crusade in the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. When I heard the voices of 20,000 people singing together, I was overcome with emotion. This is just a small taste of what it will be like in Heaven, I thought. What a blessing! Let's practice here for the great choir concert in Heaven. "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."--Revelation 5:12

In (Blank) We Trust

How would you complete this phrase: In (Blank) We Trust? Many of us are accustomed to seeing "In God We Trust" as a national motto. However, some folks feel any reference to God in our government should be abolished. I would agree that in many respects America has turned her back on God. Perhaps removing the motto is the only logical step for a group of people who think they have outgrown a childish notion. Should our national motto read, "In Man We Trust" or "In the President We Trust" or "In Government We Trust"? Perhaps these are more accurate statements of our national sentiment. The Bible has much to say about whom we should trust. There are too many references to quote here. But a few come to mind. "He who trusts in his riches will fall." (Proverbs 11:28a) "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool." (Proverbs 28:26a) The prophet Jeremiah contrasts two types of people--those who trust God and those who do not. "Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.'" (Jeremiah 17:5-6) "'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.'" (Jeremiah 17:7-8) God is the only one who deserves my trust. All others, no matter their intentions or gallant efforts, have proven unworthy.

Memories of Mom's Ministries

As we watched The Secrets of Mr. Sperry, my husband said Mr. Sperry reminds him of my mother and her ministries with young people. Children really do need someone to invest in their lives. I'm glad Mom was willing not only to impact her own children but also a host of others. Mom worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship in their Good News Clubs and Five Day Clubs. She helped with vacation Bible schools, too. I was fascinated with the flannel board figures and backgrounds she used to tell the Bible stories. She made memorizing scripture verses fun. Her illustrated songs helped us remember them easily. She donated her Chevrolet to pull the "Chapel on Wheels," a trailer set up like a tiny church. Later Dr. Dahlberg hired Mom to do the children's church for the First Presbyterian Church. Before they moved to their current location, she used their chapel. I remember her creative efforts: Peter (aka son-in-law Mark) with his fishing boat on the shore of the lake, a simulated jet ride to Africa, and elaborate sets for special puppet shows, to name a few. At their new location, Mom continued using special effects and guest appearances by Bible characters, a pirate, and clowns. She always made sure to teach Bible truths instead of focusing on entertainment. Years later, young adults or their parents would stop by to express their thanks for the solid Bible foundation they received. Mom even visited the Christian fellowship clubs at my public school and my husband's Christian school. Each school year, she would volunteer in my classes so she could pick out a troubled child who needed a mentor. Like Mr. Sperry, Mom made a difference in the lives of countless children. It reminds me of someone dropping a pebble in a pond. It may be a small action, but the effects keep rippling out farther and farther away.

Glenn Beck, a Radical Guy

I prefer to listen to music on the radio, not talking. But when my husband drives, he chooses. I haven't heard Glenn Beck in a long time, but it was good to hear him today. He said that he has been reading Jeremiah lately. He believes Jeremiah's words could just as well be for America today. I love how Glenn talked about God getting our attention. First He uses mild means. But if we continue to ignore Him, He continues to use stronger methods. I had to smile at Glenn's description of this process, for God has had to knock me down more than once. It's a hard lesson, but well worth it. I still remember the Christmas program a few years back in which Glenn shared a story about his sweater gift. I may not agree 100% with his political views, but I admire the way He talks about the Lord. No apologies offered. May God bless and protect Glenn Beck.

Rest

The Lord knew what He was doing when He set up a day of rest each week. Life in the fast lane can burn out an engine. God longs to share some quiet time with me. But I rarely get quiet, much less want to spend time with Him. I am faithful to the television set, cell phone, and computer screen. Misplaced loyalty, to be sure. I should be less like Martha and more like Mary. How refreshing it could be to sit at the feet of Jesus and just listen a while! "Be still, and know that I am God."--Psalm 46:10a

How will I fill this day?

It's a new day. Here's a fresh page. How will I fill it? Lord, help me to be more conscious of your plans for my life. When I reach for the director's baton, the music doesn't sound as sweet. I want my life to be full of your majesty. I want to bring a smile to the face of someone who needs you today.