I will not be posting for a couple weeks after this, because we will be flying to IL for a 2nd memorial service for Steven on 7/9/11 at 10:00am at Eureka Bible Church, Eureka, IL.

Part of my Bible reading this morning was 1 Peter 1:9:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, God's own purchased special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Amplified Bible

God did so many "wonderful deeds" in Steven's brain injury, deeds guided by His unbelievable love for us and by His desire to see us become everything that He created us to become. Some of those "deeds" were the awesome ways He prepared Steven and me beforehand. Some were things that God did in others' lives through Steven's brain injury and subsequent life. A major part of those "deeds" were changes God so wisely and graciously made in my life and Steven's life.

One change was precipitated by seeing (shortly before the collision) our friend Tammie Leman keeping a daily journal of "things to be thankful for" during the time her small son, Tyler, was undergoing treatment for cancer. I still have the resulting "thank you, Lord" lists that I started after the 9/26/93 collision, as soon as I was able to write. Here are a few things pulled at random from that list....

1st week of hospital stay
1. Nurses and staff marvelous! I love them all!!
2. Beautiful room, w/ extra bed for my sister Diane to lay down and rest
3. Church coordinating thousands of things!
4. Sunset

10/5/93
1. Steven breathing on his own a little!
2. Man talked to Andy, hears how God has held us up, gives life to the Lord!
3. God continually giving me perfect peace, assurance, joy, even in the midst of deep sorrow, in spite of circumstances, including Steven's situation and the prospect of a lawsuit. What a miracle!

10/7/93
1. I'm probably going home from the hospital tomorrow! Progressing well....Learned steps with crutches! Thank you, Lord.
2. Steven progressed to stage 2 of the coma!
3. Steven going to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago - the best in the country!

As the years have gone by, God has caused us to make it more and more a "habit" to "look for the blessings". For example, in the last few years of Steven's life, the originally rejuvinated brain neurons began to die out, causing him to eventually lose all function on his right side (in addition to the function already lost on his left side). Instead of focusing on the increasing disability, Steven named his new "high end" wheelchair "The Blessing" and thanked the Lord numerous times for providing a lift to move him from the bed to "The Blessing".

Would Steven and I have come to this point without the "mercy" from God of the brain injury? Doubtful.

WAS IT WORTH IT?

I'll let Steven answer that, with an article he wrote to other brain injury survivors in More Than Survivors, Vol. 9, No. 2, February 1998 (reprinted with permission).....

Brothers and sisters in Christ,
Can we today look at a verse in the Bible and think about it? Open your Bible to 1Thess. 5 and turn to verse 18. When we turn to this verse, the first idea we see is "be thankful" or "give thanks", depending on your translation. I have walked the same path as you; I have a brain injury. It is simpler for me to be thankful for other things -- but my brain injury --that is hard. But God, who knows everything, knows this is hard. That's why He says, "Always be thankful", no matter what. Does He include a brain injury in that? YES. Why? Because the rest of the verse says that "this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." We may not be able to see "why it happened," but we do know "who walks with us every day." And the Lord, who knows the "why", says, "Be thankful". It is hard, but Romans 6:4b [NLT] says, "Now we also may live new lives." There was a time in my life when I wouldn't have thanked God for the brain injury, but how I have grown in Him since! Now when He says, "Be thankful," I (we all) do! Because we are new!
In Jesus

Church Family Blessings

The correct time of the July 9 memorial service at Eureka Bible Church, Eureka, IL is 10:00 a.m. I posted the time wrong on the 5/13 blog.

At the time of the collision (Sept., 1993), we were living in IL. Our church family there at Eureka Bible Church gathered around and provided awesome support, from 1993 until we moved to FL in 1996. They mowed our yard, brought tons of food, loaned our children a car so they could visit Steven, helped me buy a new car, helped print and mail out 1000's of letters to patients, cleaned the house, and took care of me after I was able to go home from the hospital. Eureka Bible people helped maintain the commercial building (and lot) where Steven had his practise and where we had other commercial renters, and, when we decided to close the practise a year later, they helped us sell, give away, or dispose of all the medical equipment. They finished a new septic system that we had started before the collision, gave us money to help cover expenses and college tuitions costs for 2 daughters, and drove me up to Chicago numerous times to visit Steven after he was transferred there. After I was well enough to temporarily move up to Chicago, they helped move us, visited (often), called, and took care of our house. Our pastor, Andy, moved our high school age son into the basement apartment of his own home while we were in Chicago. They moved us back from Chicago, and, when we were ready to move to FL, Eureka Bible people helped us paint and fix up our IL house in preparation for sale and assisted us in packing up. They always encouraged, prayed, and cared. I could keep going on with many more deeds of kindness and love, but needless to say, they totally fulfilled Galatians 5:10...

"So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith."

God was so good to have placed us in that church, at that time, with so many blessed people!

After we moved down to FL, God did the same thing again, with a whole new set of people. We were so blessed, all the years of Steven's disability, and I am still blessed with a church family that cares so much. Thank you, Lord!

And, in both states, God brought us an unbelievable amount of help not only from our specific church family, but also from the whole "household of faith" - God's family of believers worldwide. "And you belong to God's own household." Eph. 2:19 (But that's a story for another blog). All of these works of love, wherever done, have been gifts from the Lord and have brought glory to God.

I'll close with Steven's journal entry from April 11, 1998 (4 1/2 years after the brain injury)...
Gal. 1:24 "And they gave glory to God because of me." (speaking of Paul proclaiming the very faith that he once tried to destroy)
Lord,
This verse is true, but it is also true that people give glory to You because of what YOU do inside them. I have learned that I myself do nothing. You do it ALL! I give you the praise and glory. And you do what you do because of LOVE.
In Jesus,
Amen

Note: I'll try to post weekly from now on. If you like, you can sign up with your e-mail (see right of blog page), so you are automatically sent an e-mail of each new blog instead of having to check for new posts.

Sorry I haven't posted. Life has been a bit of a blur of "must get done immediately" stuff with lots of decisions. My Bible reading this morning was about Abraham telling his servant that "He will send His angel before you" to find a wife for Isaac. (Gen. 24:7) Two things stood out: (1)the simple faith of Abraham, and (2)the fact that He sends His angel before me, also.

Speaking of Bible reading, I promised to start sharing some of Steven's....

Sept. 20, 2005
Eph. 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God."

Lord,
There is a battle raging. But Your armor is more than I need. All I must do is put it on - constantly - and never take it off.
In Jesus,
Amen

October 25, 2005
1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain"

Lord,
So often I value something that is really nothing. You are everything. With You in my life and showing You to others - I am content.
In Jesus,
Amen

March 18, 2006
Mark 5:36 "Don't be afraid; just believe."

Lord,
This disease has brought fear into my life. But You have total control over everything - hence I have no fear.
In Jesus
Amen