12/13/2015
The bad news: As most of you already know a month ago on November 11th, I accidently walked off a 5’ retaining wall in the dark and landed on asphalt. I sustained two fractures to my pelvis and two dislocated ribs. It required seven days in the hospital and five days in a skilled nursing facility. I am currently going through two additional months of out-patient physical therapy.
The good news: I am healing very well. My pain is managed by medication. I am walking with a cane for short distances and use a wheelchair otherwise. We are in an excellent RV park in Elephant Butte, New Mexico. That is about 150 miles south of Albuquerque. David and Kathy Marks (my brother and sister-in-law) are staying part-time in the same park. The park has a large indoor salt water pool and hot tub, which is working out very well for physical therapy. We have found a wonderful church and are very involved. The people in the church are very friendly, the pastor’s preaching and teaching are excellent, and the music is great. People are coming to the Lord just about every week. We will stay in Elephant Butte until January or longer as needed for recovery.
The silver lining: The fall in the dark, even though it was only a moment, felt like falling down a deep mine shaft. It was a very frightening experience. I could not tell which way was up or down. I could have landed on my head just as easily as my side. This experience put a lot into perspective. As one of our teachers, Mike Keeley, used to say, “Attitude is everything”. I am filled with so much joy. It is good to be alive and to know that I am God’s child. I love Paula more every day. I have truly experienced a personal revival. I know firsthand what Paul wrote in I Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Continued prayer request: Pray that the pain will diminish so that I can quit taking the pain medication altogether. Pray that my blood pressure returns to a normal level. The elevated blood pressure is because of the pain and medication. Pray for God’s direction for serving Him.
By God’s grace this is only a “Speed Bump” in our lives, not a “Stop Sign”. This experience has given us a life message to share with others. It is my prayer that I will invest, not just spend, every moment of the rest of my life in service to God. May this be the prayer of each of you as well. May the joy of the Lord be your strength as He is mine.
