Fishrapper

God Things

How many God things can I recall from the crisis our family has faced these last four weeks? I don't even know them all. But here are some random thoughts:

Barb (our daughter in law) was awake and alert after being run over by a truck while riding her bicycle on Ocean Drive in Corpus Christi on July 11. She told police who her husband was and gave them his phone number, despite being crushed and broken from her hips to shoulder blades.

Sometime after the accident a trauma nurse at Brooke Army Medical Hospital (San Antonio) told Van he didn't think she had a chance when brought in. God had other plans.

Through a series of events Van Jr. met the orthopedic radiologist on Barb's case. He showed Van all the xrays and commented that with her type of accident and with the fact that both shoulder blades were broken, normally the victim does not survive. But God was there.

The children were allowed to visit Barb in the hospital, except 9-year-old Hannah. She was too young. But on a Saturday they came back and the ICU crew slipped her in to see her mom. God is good.

While we were tending the five grandchildren Van Jr. took Sarah, 12, to a school open house. Hannah wanted to go too -- desperately. But we didn't allow it. Needless to say she was bummed. She wouldn't speak to us. Thirty minutes after her dad and Sarah left the phone rang. It was Barb calling to speak to Hannah. It gave me an opportunity later to talk to her about the sovereignty of God. You might think "sovereignty of God," 9 year old, Chinese, English speaking less than a year, but let me tell you this girl is smart. She may not have sovereignty down pat, but I guarantee you she remembers the word. A God thing? You bet!

Daniel, 14, failed his football physical because of blood pressure of 160 over 80. We thought the problem was the Monster drink he had that morning, but after withdrawal he flunked again two days later. I asked him how he was doing with his mom's accident, on a scale of 1 to 10. About a 7, he said. We talked. God was part of the discussion. He processed. Blood pressure dropped immediately to normal range and he passed his physical.

I'm glad the atmosphere at 234 Bayridge Dr. in Corpus Christi is permeated with the sovereignty and grace of God. It gives me confidence.

Everything About God is Good

God's plan is good -- very good. Even when it includes the tragic hit-and-run of my daughter in law on her bicycle.

It is coming up on four weeks since Barbara Compere Savell, 42, was hit from behind by a black truck going "at least 60", according to the only witness. The fact is she should have died instantly. Four broken vertebrae in the back, injured spinal cord, crushed right chest, counless broken ribs, crushed right hip ball and socket, two broken bones in left leg, broken right wrist, internal bleeding, and both shoulder blades broken. But God went before her and she lived.

Four surgeries later she is slowly recovering, about to be transferred from Brooke Army Medical Center (San Antonio) to rehabilitation at Spohn Shoreline Hospital in Corpus Christi.

The outpouring of prayer across the country has been unimaginable. The Body of Christ has responded. Van Jr., our son, texted one day "if only the Body would pray for missions as they have prayed for Barb." The support, care, and love from the church in Corpus, and the biker club, has gone beyond what any should expect.

Life will never be the same. Not for Barb, Van, their five children, or any of us! Yet God is good, and the end result will be "good," because that is God's promise. And I don't mean a step down good, but rather a step up to the next plateau in life.

The exiles in Babylon fit one of three categories: (1) No hope, (2) false hope, or (3) true hope. Our hope has been based on the revealed Word of God, for we know God has a plan, a good one.

Do we hurt? Yes! Have we experienced God's grace? More than sufficiently.

How wonderful to have the kind of life guarantee God provides. Otherwise we would be crushed on every side by the circumstances of life.

Taking Care of Business

    My apologies for not writing, but I'm knee deep in alligators.

    I have two editing/writing jobs past due, and we are moving. Not out of Blythe, but from one house to another. Financial considerations have driven us from our 3800 square foot home on the Fisher Ranch, five miles from town. Our new abode is almost a fourth the size, but we call it our beach house. It is located on the Colorado River within the city limits.

    Posts will be sporadic until after the first of the year. We're having the entire family for Christmas, and then we move prior to New Year's. Prayer would be helpful.

Touching Lives

    Just got back from Mississippi and the annual Savell family reunion. It was an enormously satisfying ministry trip.

    I wanted to go because it was going to be a special time honoring one hundred years in ministry for my uncle Carl and his music minister. But I couldn't. No money! Until God provided through our adopted daughter and her husband, Karen and Mark Lund in Seattle.

    God was able to use me to further encourage and bless my uncle, who is really like a brother. What he and his church are doing in the end of his ministry is amazing. With a median age of 75 this church has adopted a group of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, and is sponsoring a new church start.

    I also drove 400 miles out of the way just to visit my 96-year-old high school English teacher and senior class sponsor, Mrs. Lila Frances Foote. We talk on the phone regularly, but about two years ago she asked me if I would commit to doing her funeral. I agreed. She often tells me it won't be long and I say, "Wait, I'm coming to see you." She would just laugh. Together we laughed last week. What a woman.

    While in Iuka, MS, I heard that my seventh grade girlfriend, Betty Ann Laxson Crawford, was not doing well physically. She had a kidney transplant 30 years ago and complications were giving her some concern. It was another opportunity for God to touch someone's life through me. Awesome!

    I could go on and on. It was no vacation. Too tiring. But what a wonderful, satisfying time.