I realize that my posting is sporadic recently; perhaps this will explain part of the situation. I will now have plenty of time to write. I couldn't resist sending the picture of the cast. For those of you who know me, it doesn't match a thing I have to wear. It would seem to me they would make these in colors and just a bit more decorative. You can't even sign your name on this. :-) Obviously the title of the book I am working on now is rather ironic STILL WALKING (But Sometimes I Limp). I just can't help but think that God is smiling...not that I believe He caused the fall...it was my own fault. Just stepped in a hole and turned my ankle. I always have walking experiences to write about it seems. I have no idea what 8-12 weeks of no driving will do for my life. May you enjoy your walking.
HELP! I’VE FALLEN...
A touch of cool almost-autumn breeze ruffled the trees at the golf course last Friday morning. The grass on #3 tee is fading into the dry straw texture of fall and we are getting more roll from the ball as it hits the fairway. I had just hit a rather decent drive (not excellent but better than my drive on #2). Four of us were playing the front nine, and then as usual planned to eat lunch at a local restaurant. Nothing new or unusual about the day. My life is quite predictable. Life was going well, and then I stumbled. Suddenly I landed on the ground and my predictable life changed.
Just last week I wrote for this column that “everyone stumbles”. And that very day I did. My ankle is broken. My life is totally disrupted. I need to depend on my family and my friends. Because I am not allowed to drive I cannot even control my own coming and going. I must cancel plans. I sit here in my wheelchair with crutches by my side and ask myself how this could have happened. Everything seemed to be going so well for me. If I had moved more slowly or been more observant, I might have avoided this fall. My physical world turned around rather quickly. We are so sure everything is just fine and then we fall.
Sometimes our spiritual life can be the same. Everything is good. Our prayer life seems strong. Our Bible study is regular (nothing extra but we are reading it). We attend church most Sundays, and sometimes we even stay for Sunday school class or go to an extra service during the week. Nothing new or challenging in our spiritual journey. Our Christian journey follows the same day-to-day path that we have always traveled.
And then we stumble. Because we aren’t paying attention we become lazy and Sunday is a good day to rest or get caught up on the work we need to do at home. We start to fall into the patterns of the world around us. Throwing harsh words at a family member in a fit of anger or taking those left-over supplies on the job, or telling the lie that covers our mistake all seem so easy the first time they happen. But suddenly (like my fall) because of some sinful action that causes us pain or loss, we suddenly realize we have stumbled and fallen. Trouble enters our world and with it comes a need for spiritual help.
When I fell, my friend did not push me back down, but immediately jumped to assist me. If we are the healthy one, we need to reach out to the fallen and help them up. Why don’t we to do that when we know someone has fallen spiritually? Just as my family and friends reach out to me in my physical need, Christians should be there for a fallen friend. A fallen or injured friend needs the crutch of God’s forgiveness and the support of His people.
And as it will take time for my leg to heal, it takes time for spiritual ‘breaks” to heal. Christians all stumble and the crutch of God’s love and forgiveness is available to each of us if we will just lean on it. Sometimes prides keeps us from reaching out for this crutch. Paul wrote to the church at Rome that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Any one of us can fall at any time if we don’t stay alert to the world around us, and when we do we can accept that love and forgiveness are there for us to lean on.
PRAYER: Help me be the one who reaches down to help someone up whether they have fallen physically or spiritually. Let me remember that it takes time to heal from a fall, and that people need my support and encouragement, but most of all they need my love. In Jesus name, Amen
HELP! I’VE FALLEN...
A touch of cool almost-autumn breeze ruffled the trees at the golf course last Friday morning. The grass on #3 tee is fading into the dry straw texture of fall and we are getting more roll from the ball as it hits the fairway. I had just hit a rather decent drive (not excellent but better than my drive on #2). Four of us were playing the front nine, and then as usual planned to eat lunch at a local restaurant. Nothing new or unusual about the day. My life is quite predictable. Life was going well, and then I stumbled. Suddenly I landed on the ground and my predictable life changed.
Just last week I wrote for this column that “everyone stumbles”. And that very day I did. My ankle is broken. My life is totally disrupted. I need to depend on my family and my friends. Because I am not allowed to drive I cannot even control my own coming and going. I must cancel plans. I sit here in my wheelchair with crutches by my side and ask myself how this could have happened. Everything seemed to be going so well for me. If I had moved more slowly or been more observant, I might have avoided this fall. My physical world turned around rather quickly. We are so sure everything is just fine and then we fall.
Sometimes our spiritual life can be the same. Everything is good. Our prayer life seems strong. Our Bible study is regular (nothing extra but we are reading it). We attend church most Sundays, and sometimes we even stay for Sunday school class or go to an extra service during the week. Nothing new or challenging in our spiritual journey. Our Christian journey follows the same day-to-day path that we have always traveled.
And then we stumble. Because we aren’t paying attention we become lazy and Sunday is a good day to rest or get caught up on the work we need to do at home. We start to fall into the patterns of the world around us. Throwing harsh words at a family member in a fit of anger or taking those left-over supplies on the job, or telling the lie that covers our mistake all seem so easy the first time they happen. But suddenly (like my fall) because of some sinful action that causes us pain or loss, we suddenly realize we have stumbled and fallen. Trouble enters our world and with it comes a need for spiritual help.
When I fell, my friend did not push me back down, but immediately jumped to assist me. If we are the healthy one, we need to reach out to the fallen and help them up. Why don’t we to do that when we know someone has fallen spiritually? Just as my family and friends reach out to me in my physical need, Christians should be there for a fallen friend. A fallen or injured friend needs the crutch of God’s forgiveness and the support of His people.
And as it will take time for my leg to heal, it takes time for spiritual ‘breaks” to heal. Christians all stumble and the crutch of God’s love and forgiveness is available to each of us if we will just lean on it. Sometimes prides keeps us from reaching out for this crutch. Paul wrote to the church at Rome that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Any one of us can fall at any time if we don’t stay alert to the world around us, and when we do we can accept that love and forgiveness are there for us to lean on.
PRAYER: Help me be the one who reaches down to help someone up whether they have fallen physically or spiritually. Let me remember that it takes time to heal from a fall, and that people need my support and encouragement, but most of all they need my love. In Jesus name, Amen
