Mum is also seeing improvement in her walking. While she still doesn't have much control of her leg muscles, she does have control of her hip and has figured out to swing her leg and walk quite well. In fact, she is using just a cane and has been practicing walking without it at her therapy.
Her right arm is a sore spot, literally. She feels her arm, but has no control. Due to the inability to move her muscles, her shoulder keeps coming out of socket and dropping down. She has various braces that she's using, but sometimes they affect her hand and cause pain. The occupational therapists are working with her on this and trying to improve the situation. Please pray for her to regain ability with her arm.
Although she can't drive, she has become so much more mobile and independent in the house! Her friend from Germany, Pixie, has been staying with my parents for the past month and has been such a huge help with meals and cleaning. We have had so many wonderful friends volunteer for driving for therapy! I am working on helping prep meals so that she can cook using the crockpot starting next week. Cleaning is a tough thing, though, since I come with three kids and it's a bit of a struggle.
Please continue to pray for encouragement for Mum and strength for Dad through this time. And again, we are so thankful for all your prayers and support. God bless.
I've been reading The Music of His Promises by Elisabeth Elliot. I thought these two meditations might be encouraging...
The Way Appointed
It was the supper with Jesus' disciples, on the night before He was crucified, that He told them He was going "the way appointed." That meant betrayal, by one of the very men sharing the same meal with Him, and crucifixion, at the hands of those who had arranged to pay this man. Yet in and through those terrible things that were to happen to Him, Jesus never for a moment thought of Himself as sole in their hands, at their mercy. He was held in the will of the Father. There was sovereign purpose in it all; the way He must travel was no accident of fate. It was appointed, assigned, a date with destiny. He accepted it as such.
What agonies we would spare ourselves if we should remember that ours, too, is a way appointed. We need not every imagine that our circumstances are in any other hands than those that held the beloved Son obedient to death.
What Is Trust?
To the unbeliever, the notion of "trust" in God is a challenge to Him to grant what one wants. When Jesus hung nailed to the cross, passerby hurled abuse at Him: "Come down. Save yourself!" The chief priests, lawyers and elders (learned, logical leaders) mocked Him: "King of Israel, indeed! Let Him come down from the cross and then we will believe Him. Did He trust in God? Let God rescue Him!" (Matt. 27:42-43)
Real trust yield utterly to the one trusted. All desire is turned over to that one, believing his ability to manage, control, and finally accomplish what is best. When we pray, we should beware lest we line ourselves up with the mockers of Jesus--"If You do such and such, then I will trust You!" We need to learn rather to let God rescue us in His own way. It may not be escape from suffering, but death--followed by so much more glorious a rescue--resurrection!
Lord, teach me this trust.
