Coming Back
Having only recently come back to work from hip surgery, I continue to be overwhelmed by your well wishes and love. Each day during my recovery, I received a load of letters and emails containing great thoughts and expressing prayers that are most meaningful. Coupled with these missives were weeks of dinners that you prepared and brought over which helped tremendously.
I am the type of person who is not patient with the debilitating effects of orthopedic surgery. Not being able to get around as I would like, using a walker, sitting so much and then sitting some more is not my idea of fun! Even as I was able to walk more, it was only for a certain time and distance. I could not even walk where I wanted as I took a week at the beach to recover, but the doctor ordered me not to walk on the beach! Now that was frustrating as I had to sit on the porch or inside the house the whole time!
Please don’t get the idea that I am filled with complaints however. I am so blessed that God’s healing miracle of modern medicine has enabled me to walk again. Even though my first hip surgery proved defective, I am blessed that they can “redo” it. Just consider what happened fifty or more years ago when arthritis or injury incapacitated someone’s joint – he/she would be crippled for life. Even though there is pain and recovery time with this surgery in today’s world, it is a miracle.
Sometimes we all get caught-up with introspection where we spend much time feeling sorry for ourselves. I once knew a man who was crippled with rheumatoid arthritis. His joints swelled and twisted so that he couldn’t walk or even hold a glass of water. When I would visit him, he would look up from his wheelchair and smile. I know he was in constant pain, still he smiled and talked of others who were suffering. He consistently insisted that his pain and suffering were not of consequence as others suffered more, and he had the Lord with him. Through his faith, he overcame the suffering of mental anguish and lived a joy-filled life. His perspective adjusted my perspective as I was whole physically – my troubles paled in comparison.
The Holy Spirit truly gives us what we need to live here and hereafter, we just have to see through our presenting problems. We can live joy-filled lives if we turn our attention to the Lord and others through Him. Care of others helps us do that, you helped me tremendously. I must say that Lynda did also – she was my constant companion and helper through the whole thing. I am the most blessed person I know! Thank the Lord and thank you.
Grace and peace,
Ted