Burdens or Blessings?

    Life has been moving along at a pretty fast clip for Al and me, with lots of wonderful family get-togethers to celebrate new babies, my brother’s wedding and a special honorary dinner for sister Jill. All of these events necessitated several trips up and down the Valley, in addition to the usual activities and routines of everyday life.

   Through all of this, Al has still been experiencing lingering pain and swelling in his ankle, even though it has been five months since his ankle joint replacement surgery. He decided to contact the surgeon, who wanted to see him right away.  We quickly made arrangements to stay overnight in a hotel in the Bay Area, packed our suitcases and headed north after church last Sunday for the appointment on Monday morning.

    Sure enough, the x-rays showed that his heel bone was not in alignment as it had been when the new joint was inserted, but was slipping to the outside edge of his foot. This was stretching the tendons on the side of his ankle, causing pain, swelling and stressing the new joint.   

     “It needs to be fixed,” the doctor explained, “and the sooner the better!” Al told him that we had a big trip coming up during the summer, with several nonrefundable hotels already lined up. “Well then, if we make it next week, you might just be ready to go in time,” said the surgeon.

     Next week? Neither of us had anticipated that happening so soon. The doctor had told us earlier that there might be the possibility of corrective surgery in case the heel shifted; so it didn’t come as a complete surprise. In fact Al was glad to hear that something could be done to help him walk again without pain. But, I was pretty overwhelmed with the thought of another surgery and all of its ramifications.

      He assured us that it would be easier this time. It would be an outpatient surgery and that Al would be ready to go home that same day. He wouldn’t be able to drive, walk or put weight on the foot for about 4-6 weeks…we knew the restrictions only too well.

      It was difficult for me to accept this decision without complaining selfishly about all of the changes which would be taking place of necessity. I wasn’t eager to take on the extra responsibility and felt like a twenty pound burden had been strapped to my back.         

      One night I had a vivid dream in which I was being introduced to a woman who was a quadriplegic. As I bent over to hug her, she reached up her arms in response and stood up. “This is strange,” I thought. “She’s paralyzed, but standing?”  She was too heavy for me to support and we both crumpled to the ground. I felt paralyzed as well, not being able to stand, speak or even pray. We both began weeping.

      Then a stranger who was in the same room began praying for her. All I could do was stretch out my arms towards him for help. Suddenly we were both lifted up, so that my feet were completely off the floor. She joyfully waltzed around the room with me for a time, until the dream faded away and I woke up. 

      This dream gave me hope, along with the reminder that God’s grace truly is sufficient for me to face any difficulty in life. Instead of the heavy weight on my heart, I felt joy and comfort, believing that God would carry both Al and me through this new challenge. He loves us, dear friends! And that is very good news!

    But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9a NIV

(published in the Porterville Recorder on May 3)