TGC is a chance for us to record the special stories of how we see God working in our lives. It is a blog carnival, where you (the readers) are encouraged to join in by writing your own TGC post on your own blog and linking here. Just remember to link to this post from your own blog post. Read this to find out how it all started. Click here for "the rules."-----------------------------------------------------------
As promised, I have a very special guest blogger (actually, she's not even a blogger - yet) today to share a story dear to my heart. I'd like to introduce you to my mom, Frieda! Make sure you give her a warm welcome to the blogging world in the comments. :) Here is her story...
Not too long ago I had the pleasure of having my 83 year old mother (this host blogger’s grandma) come for a visit. One of the things that challenges me each time she visits is wondering how I can gain some assurance about her faith. I want to know that she’ll be waiting to greet me in heaven if she dies before me. You see, we all think that Grandma believes, but it's just not something she really talks about. Maybe it's a generational thing...
On the last day of our visit, as she and I were leaving a grocery store, mom tripped on a speed bump in the parking lot. Before I could even react, she was down. Truly, one moment she was walking beside me and the next she was laying on the ground with blood pouring out of her nose and mouth. Now – you have to know my mom. No mention of any pain, just striving instantly to get up because she was embarrassed. She is a tough cookie! I convinced mom to lie still until we were sure nothing was broken and with the help of several bystanders, helped her to the car and took her home. Mom was battered, bruised and swollen. Her lip was cracked and puffy, she had a scrape on her forehead and cheek and her hand was swelling up as we applied ice. Over and over she kept saying how glad she was she hadn’t broken her dentures (that happened in a previous fall), and I kept saying how glad I was she hadn’t broken her hip or anything more serious.
Anyway, after a couple of hours, because of her age and because she was flying home the next day, I decided we really should take her to the emergency department. Long and short of it, it truly could have been much more serious. She had no concussion but she did have a break in the knuckle of her small finger. The doctor told her she’d require surgery and a pin because it was an ‘unstable’ break. They gave us a CD of her x-rays to take home with her and sent us on her way. I just have to interject here - I think it's worthwhile to note that the doctor didn't say "it looks like it might be a hairline fracture, but the x-rays aren't too clear" or something like that, he clearly saw a serious break on the finger and was certain it would require surgery. The next day we were at the airport sharing the events of this story to family when a man standing close to us heard mom needed surgery and said he was a surgeon. The man was obviously Jewish, a long flowing beard and a black skull cap (forgive me if that’s not what it’s called). I jokingly said, hey, we need a surgeon. He then grabbed my mom’s hand and for what ever reason, asked mom if she understood German (she does – Low German) and proceeded to pray over her hand. He then told us that he was also a chiropractor but that God was the Great Physician. When he was done praying, he told her it ‘is finished.’ Trust me – family reactions were mixed. I thought it was cool, my niece looked like she thought a kook had just prayed over her grandma, my sister in law (a nurse) looked sort of indulgent but unbelieving, and my mom – the woman who’s faith a sometimes worry about – thanked the man for his prayer and told me she thought she was healed.
A few days later after a visit to her own family doctor and more x-rays….her doctor told her she was fine and nothing further was required. When my mom shared this part with me, my doubting self had to ask, "well, did he take more x-rays? did he show her the x-rays? what does he mean nothing further is required?" I wanted some sort of earthly explanation.
You know, there are times that I really try to rationalize God. I want it to make sense. But today, I want to say thank you to a man who overheard a conversation in an airport and had the boldness to take my mother’s hand and pray over it. And the biggest thank you to God – the Great Physician. He absolutely showed me where my mother’s faith is – Praise God. And He heals, He really heals! Cool, eh?! Whenever I think of it I just shake my head and grin. God is so good!
Thanks, Mom, for writing this story down for us. Can't you imagine me (many, many years from now) sitting and telling it to my grandchildren?
Great story, Frieda. But, the family in Manitoba is still concerned that we send our precious mother to you, and in less than a week, you send her back to us damaged goods! And even though you deny it, I still think you pushed her! (You know I'm just kidding!)
ReplyDeleteAmazing that mom didn't need any medical intervention...a "touch from God".