Why Me Why – Part 2
The 27th verse of the 33rd chapter of the 4th book of Moses; Deuteronomy, begins this way;
The eternal God is your resting place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
One of the things that separates us from all other creatures is our desire to catch each other when we’re falling. No other creature on Earth comes together like we do to help and to catch those in need. We reach out our arms, we wrap them around each other, we catch, and when it’s over we set them free to fly or fall again and if need be we’ll catch again.
Jeri and I have been the recipients of a lot of catching. We couldn’t be more grateful for all of you in this church. The cards and continued calls of concern and most of all, the continued cheering on you’ve all sent our way are sources of daily inspiration and strength. For those of you who remember last year’s devotions, Jeri is still wrapped up in her “Ducks” at some time during most days. Even here in our southern command post in Nokomis, Florida, she wrapped up in them while relaxing in the sun before we came here to her physical therapy specialists, I’m writing this while she works. She continues to say a prayer of thanks for all of you, and for the Grace of God every time she curls up under the Ducks and every time she breaks a barrier and does something new in therapy.
Yet still when we wake up in the morning and I put her leg and shoes on her, she can’t walk, she’ll fall right over unless I catch her. In the spring when rabbits are busy making more rabbits they have a funny dance they do. They’ll sit facing each other and have a stare down. Eventually one will try to jump forward and right over the other. The other will immediately do the same thing and often times they collide in mid-air. It’s hilarious to watch. We have several pairs in the yard doing this in the morning all through spring; cheap entertainment, we don’t get out much. If you ever need to know, the safest way to support someone while walking is facing them with your arms bent palms up, the person being supported puts their forearms on top of yours palms down and you hold each-others elbow’s, you have a lot of strength and control this way; the only drawback is the supporting person walks backward. It resembles the rabbits without the jumping, so when I first get Jeri moving in the morning we call it our rabbit dance. Like I said, you gotta make the best of these things if you’re going to get through them. I even made up a special song to go along with it, but I’ll spare you. The way I look at it now, how many guys are lucky enough to dance with their favorite person first thing every morning? Of course, I’d rather she could get up and move on her own, but if not, what else can one do? Make the best of it.
So! Why?... Why Me Why?? Pastor Bob Wright helped me this way, he reminded me that when our arms can’t reach out and save ourselves or our loved ones, when the assembled arms of all the people working to save us can’t catch us, when all of our arms aren’t enough; Deuteronomy is there to remind us that Our arms aren’t the Only arms.
The eternal God is your resting place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Given all the wonderful people who’ve successfully caught us, one could say it’s been more of a golden net. But I still want to know why…
Ron Draper
The two most important days in anyone’s life are the day you’re born, and the day you find out why. (Mark Twain)
(Some themes below were taught to me by pastor Bob Wright).
The 27th verse of the 33rd chapter of the 4th book of Moses; Deuteronomy, begins this way;
The eternal God is your resting place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
One of the things that separates us from all other creatures is our desire to catch each other when we’re falling. No other creature on Earth comes together like we do to help and to catch those in need. We reach out our arms, we wrap them around each other, we catch, and when it’s over we set them free to fly or fall again and if need be we’ll catch again.
Jeri and I have been the recipients of a lot of catching. We couldn’t be more grateful for all of you in this church. The cards and continued calls of concern and most of all, the continued cheering on you’ve all sent our way are sources of daily inspiration and strength. For those of you who remember last year’s devotions, Jeri is still wrapped up in her “Ducks” at some time during most days. Even here in our southern command post in Nokomis, Florida, she wrapped up in them while relaxing in the sun before we came here to her physical therapy specialists, I’m writing this while she works. She continues to say a prayer of thanks for all of you, and for the Grace of God every time she curls up under the Ducks and every time she breaks a barrier and does something new in therapy.
Yet still when we wake up in the morning and I put her leg and shoes on her, she can’t walk, she’ll fall right over unless I catch her. In the spring when rabbits are busy making more rabbits they have a funny dance they do. They’ll sit facing each other and have a stare down. Eventually one will try to jump forward and right over the other. The other will immediately do the same thing and often times they collide in mid-air. It’s hilarious to watch. We have several pairs in the yard doing this in the morning all through spring; cheap entertainment, we don’t get out much. If you ever need to know, the safest way to support someone while walking is facing them with your arms bent palms up, the person being supported puts their forearms on top of yours palms down and you hold each-others elbow’s, you have a lot of strength and control this way; the only drawback is the supporting person walks backward. It resembles the rabbits without the jumping, so when I first get Jeri moving in the morning we call it our rabbit dance. Like I said, you gotta make the best of these things if you’re going to get through them. I even made up a special song to go along with it, but I’ll spare you. The way I look at it now, how many guys are lucky enough to dance with their favorite person first thing every morning? Of course, I’d rather she could get up and move on her own, but if not, what else can one do? Make the best of it.
So! Why?... Why Me Why?? Pastor Bob Wright helped me this way, he reminded me that when our arms can’t reach out and save ourselves or our loved ones, when the assembled arms of all the people working to save us can’t catch us, when all of our arms aren’t enough; Deuteronomy is there to remind us that Our arms aren’t the Only arms.
The eternal God is your resting place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Given all the wonderful people who’ve successfully caught us, one could say it’s been more of a golden net. But I still want to know why…
Ron Draper
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