Bulletin No 179 - November 2005 from  June Hathersmith  in USA           for earlier bulletins, please see June's home page  click here

How are you, friend?

FIRST THE NEWS

Knee surgery took place on the 15th. It was a surprising event... Don and Helen Johnson, who took me to the hospital, probably never expected to be there all day! The operation went well and I was delighted with the people I met and the treatment I had. The nurses were great, I enjoyed chatting with the anaesthesiologist and I recovered well from the procedure. However, when I put my foot on the ground to head out of the door, blood spurted right through the dressings! A good test of everybody's "cool". I stayed in Recovery for seven hours, until everyone else had gone home. By then the nurses were our good friends. We exchanged life stories, looked at each other's photos and talked about God as well. And then---sighs of relief all round---I was able to go home. The bleeding didn't stop altogether for ten days and that slowed my recovery a bit. Once the swelling went down I knew healing was progressing. THANK YOU for praying.

Now I'm able to walk and go up and down stairs. I have discarded the crutches and stopped using the wonderful ice machine a friend loaned me. BUT---oh dear, yes, there is a "but"... I walked quite a bit last weekend and now I have a lot of pain, more than before the surgery! Eeek! Truly I haven't rushed back to activity or ignored medical advice on exercise, so I don't think this setback is due to being too eager to get back to normal. I must admit it's disappointing to be back to icing and resting the knee and using lots of Ibuprofen as a pain deadener. I am sure God knows about my knee, yet I need your prayers, please. Could you PRAY that full healing will take place and that I will know how to balance rest and rehabilitation. Thanks.
 
"Please come!" That's my mother's plea.
"Don't fly for another month, because of the risks of blood clots!", says the doctor.
My mother blew us all away by agreeing to accept respite care for a month or so in England. It is expensive but she paid for it without a murmur. I'm very thankful that she is in a first class facility and being well cared for. However, I need to visit as soon as possible. I'm hoping to find a care facility that she will like and able to afford long-term. If she agrees and we find the perfect place. I need to help her move there and I may have to sell her mobile home, also. PLEASE PRAY for wisdom for me in all of this and for God to guide and provide. I will need to find a rental car at an affordable price for a month, probably mid November on.

It's working well to have David Ringer working alongside me a couple of days a week. We're making good progress. I'm grateful to God for David. He is  a joy to have around and he is doing a good job.

NOW, THE DEEP STRUCTURE

I've been joking from the beginning that my sore knee is like Jacob's sore hip, causing us both to limp. I was thinking of the story in Genesis 32. Remember?Jacob wrestled with a messenger from God. When Jacob wouldn't give up the fight, the messenger touched Jacob's leg. From then on he limped.  The messenger renamed Jacob "Israel...because you struggled with God"  What a moment-by-moment reminder for Jacob of God's touch on his life!

Now I'm thinking more seriously. God is able to use my sore knee as a constant reminder to trust Him and rely on Him. Don't misunderstand me. I want to walk and do things without pain---and please pray for this---but isn't it true that God uses all that happens to us, to teach us to depend on Him and not ourselves? Maybe He can use this discomfort to teach me to walk more closely with Him everyday. After all, one of my favorite verses is "His strength is made perfect in my weakness"

The knee experience also reminds me of you. How helpful you are to me! Thank you for praying, being concerned, and encouraging me... not just in the practical challenges of daily life, but also in the deep structure of life---being in daily touch with God and walking His way.

LAST THOUGHT

Tomorrow marks five years since Karen died. She is safe, and at Home with God. She no longer rises to the challenges of daily life on earth; she knows God and lives in a glorious new place! I miss her still, but on this anniversary realise again God's faithfulness and continual kindness to me. His goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives! Amazing, isn't it.

Lots of love to you and deep thankfulness for the part you play in my life,

June