Thanksgiving Reflections

On December 2, 2006 I made this Thoughts To Ponder entry:

This past week has been a roller coaster ride of emotions for me. Sunday night I received a frantic telephone call from my niece informing me my father had been caught by his own truck rolling backwards in a parking lot...His head hit the pavement and knocked him unconscious while the truck ran over his ankle, breaking it...For most of this week our lives have revolved around 5:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m. Those are the times we are allowed to visit the ICU...

Dad's accident took place on November 26, 2006. Those of you who followed dad's progress (and regress) during the months that followed know how hard that was for our family. We were told to have a nursing home ready because dad would never be able to take care of himself again. We were told he would never have full use of his mind. I remember praying for God to take him if he was going to be completely unaware or incapable of thinking for himself. I knew dad wouldn't want to be that way. And I remember feeling guilty for praying such prayers.

This Thanksgiving Terri, the girls and I joined my brother Clay and his family at dad's house for our annual Thanksgiving family meal. Dad had turned 88 on November 12. A couple of weeks before that he "bush-hogged" most of his land using his Ford Tractor. On his birthday he mowed his better-than-an-acre yard. And during Thanksgiving we had great conversation sprinkled with one-liners and jokes. Dad lives on his 55-acre farm by himself, drives his truck where ever he wishes, takes care of his own chores, reads avariciously and still visits the nursing homes and drug rehabilitation centers to sing and give devotional thoughts to the residents.

My thanks to God is for people such as you. Those of you who called, who sent cards, who cried with us, who watched our kids, made sure Brittany got to her plane to get back to school; those of you who prayed with us and for us--I thank God for you. Through your love and prayers all of us made it through a very difficult and painful time. Dad is back to his former self. God did that--but I am convinced the emotional healing we received during this time was accomplished by God, through you.

God's blessings on you!