The thoughts I share today are a bit random...a slice of life here in Japan.
A week ago Russ and I were out taking a walk. We decided to venture beyond our usual path and walk along the river. I pushed Russ' wheelchair across busy streets until we got to a safe place for him to practice his walking. After walking a ways, Russ sat in his chair for a rest while I dashed over to the strawberry farm to buy our last strawberries of the season.
When I returned, Russ tried to stand up to resume walking but lost his footing and landed in the nearby bushes. The bushes broke his fall (thank God for no broken bones), though he did get some nasty scrapes. The challenge before me was how to get him up out of the bushes when he was awkwardly tangled in branches and the wheelchair front wheels. I tried to pull him up, but was no match for his 6'2" paralyzed body. Others also out for a stroll offered to help, but they were all older than Russ. I could just picture a geriatric pile-up in the foliage. I didn't know what else to do so accepted their offers of help. I was almost more concerned for them than for Russ, but we got him up and he lived to smile for the picture.
On a totally unrelated topic...my mother turned 88 this past week. Her poor hearing means I can't often talk to her on the phone, but on her birthday she was able to catch two or three sentences before turning the phone over to Dad. I cherish those few sentences. My brother and sister-in-law took her a cake and followed it up with a rousing game of Scrabble. Mom won! What a way to celebrate 88 years!
Speaking of mothers...I have a dear mother-in-law too. God has really blessed me. I rarely get to see these precious women since we live on the other side of the ocean, but we pray for them every day and love them dearly. The necklace I'm wearing in the picture is from my mother-in-law. As I put it on this morning it suddenly struck me that I have worn that cross necklace many times without thanking Jesus for dying on the cross for me. How do I let such a profound sacrifice become just another accessory?
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