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SWEET GRACE

Monday, 11 January 2010 19:01

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound...”

While I have been away from my blog some remarkable things have happened for me. Mother and I have settled in to a wonderful new faith community, Bethany Lutheran Church in Scottsdale. We are enjoying our new home and living in a neighborhood with many friends. We traveled to Illinois this past summer along with my aunt Carol (mother’s sister) and her daughter Amy for the wedding of another cousin.

My health has also been a “front burner” issue. Walking with a prosthetic leg continues to challenge me and upset the rest of my arthritic body. In August my left knee (actually, my only knee) finally had had enough. Doctors had long advised that I would need knee replacement surgery but I had hoped to put it off as long as possible. Replacing my knee was only part of the solution. The ongoing strain on the rest of my body had to be addressed.

It was with a heavy heart that I agreed to the use of a power wheelchair. I did not like the idea of “giving up” on walking normally. But, I am also a realist and therefore recognized the need to protect the rest of my joints.

Getting a power wheelchair is not as easy as it appears on television. You don’t just call up the store and have one delivered. Well, I suppose you could if money were no object. Power wheelchairs are expensive. Furthermore, they are of little good if only used within the home. I needed to be out in the world. Finding a method for transporting the power wheelchair was as important as the chair itself. And the money to purchase this equipment was not in my bank account.

Upon hearing of my dilemma my friends rallied round me. If what was at once the most humbling and most delightful evening of my life when my friends in life and in ministry joined together for a fund raiser for me. The event was entitled Sweet Grace. An evening of yummy desserts and beautiful music was the backdrop for the ingathering of gifts to support my ministry. In so doing the monies were raised to enable me to purchase a power wheelchair, lift and a new Honda Odyssey to transport them.

I shall forever be grateful to all of those who participated. The words of affirmation that I received that night have given me comfort and strength. The blessing of friends and the sharing of faith are indeed some of the sweetest parts of grace.

So I began 2010 powered up and ready to go. The power chair is red - and is pretty cute. The minivan is a dream to drive. The lift is even easy to operate. My calendar is filling and the call to do God’s work is strong.

I hope to see you out on the road. Until then...

Blessings,
Paula

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