Nathan's progress has been such that there is an end in sight to our sojourn in Klosterneuburg. We plan to leave the rehab center on Thursday, bound for Salzburg (where we will return the car that was loaned us these past six weeks), and then fly to the USA on Monday (if I can work things out with the insurance companies involved).
I was quite dumbfounded at the way 3 John 5 perfectly describes Rob and Sandy Shaffer's ministry to me these past few days: It says "...you are doing a good work for God when you take care of the brothers who are passing through, even though they are strangers to you." (See the footnote in the New Living Translation.) I trust this blog serves as the sort of response described in verse 6: Telling God's people elsewhere of those gracious hosts' "friendship...and loving deeds."
The Shaffers so graciously hosting me is not the only example of kindness and generosity we have experienced these past few days. Nathan's attorney emailed to say that she had an idea she'd like to discuss with me. When I called, she explained that the driver's insurance company apparently intends to "stall" until Nathan's legal expenses compel him to give up on legal remedies, but that if Nathan has virtually no assets (and that is certainly the case!), she'd be happy to take on his case on a charitable basis. What a wonderful surprise!
Psalm 40:1-3 continues to be an uncannily apt description of the Lord's dealings with us over the past three months: "...The Lord...heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair... He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along..... Many will see what he has done and be astounded."
Sunday, January 20, 2008
On teeth...and trust
It's been too long since I've blogged. Nathan is making slow but steady progress in his rehab. He has, this past week, gotten out of the wheelchair to walk around on crutches (for a few meters). The Shaffers, the couple with whom I am staying in Klosterneuburg, were kind enough to take us along to see an English movie in Vienna, and Nathan managed to get in and out of the theatre on crutches. I am working on making arrangements to move him to the USA this coming week for more rehab and oral surgery.
Over the weeks I've enjoyed interacting with Fr. Jim Connelly, the director of the Salzburg program Nathan was enrolled in before the accident, and with Eva Aussermair, Nathan's theology instructor in Salzburg. Both Fr. Jim and Eva pray through the entire book of Psalms. I mentioned to Fr. Jim and to Eva that I've always been taken aback by the imprecatory psalms (the ones in which the psalmist calls on God to judge his enemies). After Nathan's accident, I was particularly taken aback by Psalm 3:7: "Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!" I thought to myself, "That's exactly what happened to Nathan! He was struck in the face (by a side-view mirror), shattering his teeth. That's awful! Who would wish that on anyone?!"
But Eva dearly loves the Psalms, and when I mentioned my being taken aback by the imprecatory psalms, she shared with me three helpful thoughts on those psalms (off the top of her head!):
1) The psalmist is calling on the Lord to act on his behalf, not announcing his intentions to "take matters into his own hands."
2) The Lord, through the psalmists, lets us know that He is not put off by our honestly expressing our strong feelings. In fact, He invites us to pour out our hearts to Him. (Psalm 62:8, for example, says "O my people.... Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.")
3) The imprecatory psalms can serve as a reminder to try to see ourselves as others see us. That is, might it be that there be those who are so angered by the way that I have, in some way, hurt them, that they are, right now, inclined to pray God's judgment on me?!! A sobering and humbling thought.
I was reminded of the imprecatory psalms this past week when Nathan and I learned that both the driver of the car that hit him and the company that insures the car have been trying to avoid taking responsibility for the accident. The driver did not even report the accident to the insurance company, and now the company is ignoring Nathan's attorney's letters. Nathan and I were frustrated...and angry. And that reminded me of the sentiments of the psalmists who penned those imprecations....and of Eva's thoughts on those psalms. (1) It is good to be honest--with oneself and with God--about how we feel. (2) At the same time, He wants us to trust Him to deal with injustice...in His time. The verse immediately following Psalm 3:7's "shatter their teeth" imprecation says: "Victory comes from You, O Lord! May your blessings rest on your people." That's what I'm counting on!
Over the weeks I've enjoyed interacting with Fr. Jim Connelly, the director of the Salzburg program Nathan was enrolled in before the accident, and with Eva Aussermair, Nathan's theology instructor in Salzburg. Both Fr. Jim and Eva pray through the entire book of Psalms. I mentioned to Fr. Jim and to Eva that I've always been taken aback by the imprecatory psalms (the ones in which the psalmist calls on God to judge his enemies). After Nathan's accident, I was particularly taken aback by Psalm 3:7: "Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!" I thought to myself, "That's exactly what happened to Nathan! He was struck in the face (by a side-view mirror), shattering his teeth. That's awful! Who would wish that on anyone?!"
But Eva dearly loves the Psalms, and when I mentioned my being taken aback by the imprecatory psalms, she shared with me three helpful thoughts on those psalms (off the top of her head!):
1) The psalmist is calling on the Lord to act on his behalf, not announcing his intentions to "take matters into his own hands."
2) The Lord, through the psalmists, lets us know that He is not put off by our honestly expressing our strong feelings. In fact, He invites us to pour out our hearts to Him. (Psalm 62:8, for example, says "O my people.... Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.")
3) The imprecatory psalms can serve as a reminder to try to see ourselves as others see us. That is, might it be that there be those who are so angered by the way that I have, in some way, hurt them, that they are, right now, inclined to pray God's judgment on me?!! A sobering and humbling thought.
I was reminded of the imprecatory psalms this past week when Nathan and I learned that both the driver of the car that hit him and the company that insures the car have been trying to avoid taking responsibility for the accident. The driver did not even report the accident to the insurance company, and now the company is ignoring Nathan's attorney's letters. Nathan and I were frustrated...and angry. And that reminded me of the sentiments of the psalmists who penned those imprecations....and of Eva's thoughts on those psalms. (1) It is good to be honest--with oneself and with God--about how we feel. (2) At the same time, He wants us to trust Him to deal with injustice...in His time. The verse immediately following Psalm 3:7's "shatter their teeth" imprecation says: "Victory comes from You, O Lord! May your blessings rest on your people." That's what I'm counting on!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
"Amazing, amazing..." :)
Audrey, one of Nathan's fellow patients at the rehab center, asked me the other night about where I was staying here in Klosterneuburg. "At a hotel?" she wondered. "At a house," I explained. "In fact, I have it to myself. The people who are leasing it are in the U.S. Actually, I haven't even met them. They're friends of friends of friends of friends."
"But I'll be transferring next week," I added. "Another family will be arriving to occupy the house I'm in now. So I'll be transferring to stay with another family. More friends of friends of friends."
Audrey had to laugh in astonishment at the thought that I had, not one, but two, "friends of friends of friends" willing to accomodate me in town as small as Klosterneuburg. "You know, Klosterneuburg is not a big place," she pointed out. As if I hadn't noticed.
"That's the way you religious communities operate..." mused Audrey. (I'd told her the other day that I'm part of a Christian "community.")
The following morning one of Nathan's nurses likewise asked about where I'm staying. When I explained that I'm staying with at the home of "friends of friends" in Klosterneuburg, but that I'll be transferring next week to stay with other "friends of friends," she kept repeating, "Amazing, amazing." (I assured her that I am as amazed as is she.)
I could not ask for a more remarkable demonstration of the truth of Jesus' words in John 13:35: "...Love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
"But I'll be transferring next week," I added. "Another family will be arriving to occupy the house I'm in now. So I'll be transferring to stay with another family. More friends of friends of friends."
Audrey had to laugh in astonishment at the thought that I had, not one, but two, "friends of friends of friends" willing to accomodate me in town as small as Klosterneuburg. "You know, Klosterneuburg is not a big place," she pointed out. As if I hadn't noticed.
"That's the way you religious communities operate..." mused Audrey. (I'd told her the other day that I'm part of a Christian "community.")
The following morning one of Nathan's nurses likewise asked about where I'm staying. When I explained that I'm staying with at the home of "friends of friends" in Klosterneuburg, but that I'll be transferring next week to stay with other "friends of friends," she kept repeating, "Amazing, amazing." (I assured her that I am as amazed as is she.)
I could not ask for a more remarkable demonstration of the truth of Jesus' words in John 13:35: "...Love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
Monday, January 7, 2008
On being carried: He's big enough!
The Lord has, time and again, brought to my attention passages of Scripture that are uncannily applicable to our circumstances. The most recent example was my running across Deuteronomy 1:31-33 yesterday morning. The New International Version reads: "The LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son.... The LORD your God...went ahead of you on your journey...to search out places for you to camp."
What an apt description of the Lord's care for us! He "went ahead of us" to Klosterneuburg (a place I had never heard of just a few weeks ago) to "search out a place for us to camp" (a house just five minutes drive from the rehab center!).
Most special of all is the phrase "as a father carries his son." I gained a new appreciation of that phrase Sunday afternoon. The house in which we are staying has more than two dozen stairs from the street to the front door. Those stairs become frighteningly slippery when they are icy; and there is no handrail. So Nathan and I had quite a struggle getting him down the stairs in order to get him back to the rehab center Sunday afternoon. It was all we could do to pull it off. A bit scary, in fact. We managed to pull it off. But only barely. It would have been easier had I been big enough to carry him. But I'm not that big or strong. :( It is good to know that our Heavenly Father is able and willing to carry us!
It was great to have, not just Hannah, but Andrew and Stacey and Sarah here for the holidays. And it was wonderful that Nathan's long-time buddy Boram was able to fly in from Oxford for the weekend, beginning the very day Hannah and the Stacey and Andrew and Sarah flew back to Manila and Portland, respectively. (Not only did those family and special friends lift our spirits, but Andrew and Boram were able to help me lift Nathan up those stairs!) But now that they are gone, I have to count on the Lord to "carry" Nathan and me. It is good to be reminded that that's what He's both able and willing!
What an apt description of the Lord's care for us! He "went ahead of us" to Klosterneuburg (a place I had never heard of just a few weeks ago) to "search out a place for us to camp" (a house just five minutes drive from the rehab center!).
Most special of all is the phrase "as a father carries his son." I gained a new appreciation of that phrase Sunday afternoon. The house in which we are staying has more than two dozen stairs from the street to the front door. Those stairs become frighteningly slippery when they are icy; and there is no handrail. So Nathan and I had quite a struggle getting him down the stairs in order to get him back to the rehab center Sunday afternoon. It was all we could do to pull it off. A bit scary, in fact. We managed to pull it off. But only barely. It would have been easier had I been big enough to carry him. But I'm not that big or strong. :( It is good to know that our Heavenly Father is able and willing to carry us!
It was great to have, not just Hannah, but Andrew and Stacey and Sarah here for the holidays. And it was wonderful that Nathan's long-time buddy Boram was able to fly in from Oxford for the weekend, beginning the very day Hannah and the Stacey and Andrew and Sarah flew back to Manila and Portland, respectively. (Not only did those family and special friends lift our spirits, but Andrew and Boram were able to help me lift Nathan up those stairs!) But now that they are gone, I have to count on the Lord to "carry" Nathan and me. It is good to be reminded that that's what He's both able and willing!
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