Good-bye independence!

[com7fy8]

Here, I intend to share an experience. But this is for discussing how spiritual formation and discipline can be good for a medical situation in which I am involved. This is not a request for prayer or advice, but so we can talk about spiritual formation and discipline in relation to this example.

I am 77 years old and have been able to ride a bike and help others. Then while I was walking on Tuesday feeling totally usual, all of a sudden I discovered myself lying on the sidewalk. Two men asked if I was all right. There had been no warning signs that I remember, just that I was walking, then lying on the ground.

I went to ER and had a head scan and EKG, showing nothing and I walked home.

My intent here is to share how my spiritual preparation for older age and ongoing discipline has affected how this is going for me.

As soon as I found myself on the ground, I was praying for God to have me do exactly what He wanted. I did not react and get afraid. And I treated the medical people with hospitality and appreciation, since Jesus wants us to love everyone.

I started crying at the ambulance place before going to the ER. I found that to be strange; but I appreciate how now I can cry in front of other people, since I used to be a bully and cruel to women. So, I like being sensitive now.

It could be my old man flesh was crying because I could not boast being independent while knowing at any moment I could be doing anything and black out and drop.

But trust God, in any case.

The day after, the injuries were much more clear > my tailbone was the most sore. And it was very painful for my front neck muscles to try to lift my head from a pillow > I guess, if I dropped on my tailbone, then my head whip-lashed to strain my front neck muscles. And then I tipped over and my head took a bump . . . but after I had been lowered and hit my tailbone first. So, right while my tail and neck were getting in more obvious difficulty, my head was already not feeling pain on that next day.

Now it's mainly my tailbone, Monday, almost a week after.

So, it might be like I have aged twenty years. I've been wobbling somewhat and feeling a little shell-shocked.

And at the drug store I got on my knees so I could avoid bending to find a medicine for someone else. And a sweet worker came to ask if I needed help. So, goodbye to independence, and hello to someone loving me and getting blessed helping me!

Part of our love discipline is to let people do things for us so they get blessed loving and might get rewarded. Of course, I understand, we need to do this as God guides and times things.

And even before this I have been advising myself and others, that older age is when we can become more mature in Jesus and loving; and so this can be the most special love time of our lives with God and one another - - no matter what is happening to our bodies.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (in 2 Corinthians 12:9)

Our Apostle Paul was told this after he had been going through his "thorn in the flesh" thing > 2 Corinthians 12:7-15.

I see that Paul's thorn was impossible for him to handle on his own. And I see a connection for me > having a blackout, and the medical people don't know why and here I am not knowing at any moment if I will find myself on the ground, "unannounced" . . . while our dog has been losing a lot of weight and now has just stopped spitting up anything, for a while maybe. And my sweetie needs my help. The dog started, right when it was time for church; so, yeah I would say things can be deliberate and timed . . . thorn stuff.

So . . . God takes care of the impossible stuff. Just do what He has us doing and enjoy however we can love.

 

[Joseph G]

Here, I intend to share an experience. But this is for discussing how spiritual formation and discipline can be good for a medical situation in which I am involved. This is not a request for prayer or advice, but so we can talk about spiritual formation and discipline in relation to this example.

I am 77 years old and have been able to ride a bike and help others. Then while I was walking on Tuesday feeling totally usual, all of a sudden I discovered myself lying on the sidewalk. Two men asked if I was all right. There had been no warning signs that I remember, just that I was walking, then lying on the ground.

I went to ER and had a head scan and EKG, showing nothing and I walked home.

My intent here is to share how my spiritual preparation for older age and ongoing discipline has affected how this is going for me.

As soon as I found myself on the ground, I was praying for God to have me do exactly what He wanted. I did not react and get afraid. And I treated the medical people with hospitality and appreciation, since Jesus wants us to love everyone.

I started crying at the ambulance place before going to the ER. I found that to be strange; but I appreciate how now I can cry in front of other people, since I used to be a bully and cruel to women. So, I like being sensitive now.

It could be my old man flesh was crying because I could not boast being independent while knowing at any moment I could be doing anything and black out and drop.

But trust God, in any case.

The day after, the injuries were much more clear > my tailbone was the most sore. And my front neck muscles were surprising unable to lift my head from a pillow > I guess, if I dropped on my tailbone, then my head whip-lashed to strain my front neck muscles. And then I tipped over and my head took a bump . . . but after I had been lowered and hit my tailbone first. So, right while my tail and neck were getting in more obvious difficulty, my head was already not feeling pain on that next day.

Now it's mainly my tailbone, Monday, almost a week after.

So, it might be like I have aged twenty years. I've been wobbling somewhat and feeling a little shell-shocked.

And I got on my knees so I could avoid bending to find a medicine for someone else. And a sweet worker came to ask if I needed help. So, goodbye to independence, and hello to someone loving me and getting blessed helping me!

Part of our love discipline is to let people do things for us so they get blessed loving and might get rewarded. Of course, I understand, we need to do this as God guides and times things.

And even before this I have been advising myself and others, that older age is when we can become more mature in Jesus and loving; and so this can be the most special love time of our lives with God and one another - - no matter what is happening to our bodies.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (in 2 Corinthians 12:9)

Our Apostle Paul was told this after he had been going through his "thorn in the flesh" thing > 2 Corinthians 12:7-15.

I see that Paul's thorn was impossible for him to handle on his own. And I see a connection for me > having a blackout, and the medical people don't know why and here I am not knowing at any moment if I will find myself on the ground, "unannounced" . . . while our dog has been losing a lot of weight and now has just stopped spitting up anything, for a while maybe. And my sweetie needs my help. The dog started, right when it was time for church; so, yeah I would say things can be deliberate and timed . . . thorn stuff.

So . . . God takes care of the impossible stuff. Just do what He has us doing and enjoy however we can love.

Amen, brother, been there doing that!

He keeps all of His promises, doesn't He? What an awesome Father. Thanks for the testimony. He is doing likewise for me.

Isaiah 46:3-4 NIV
“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
and have carried since you were born.
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you."