This hasn't exactly been my week. I've been met with demands, complaints, urgent needs, and rejections, mostly within the last 48 hours. In spite of all of that, there's been Grace enough to get up each day, to put one foot in front of the other, to breathe in, breathe out, and to continue to try to do my best in all things. While I've been a little numb, I've been feeling positive about my forward march. And then I went back to the doctor.
(In case you missed the news, I took a bad fall about three weeks ago, and landed flat on my face. Literally - there wasn't time to get my hands out to stop me. My nose & mouth acted as the brake on my forward momentum. If you've never seen the impact of 62 kilos traveling 8 km/h and hitting the pavement from a height of 173 cm, suffice it to say it's not pretty. The recovery process has been remarkable, but it's still required medical treatment, hence yesterday's office visit.)
I've known since my fall that something was wrong with my nose & my upper teeth. You know when you just don't feel "right", right? Yet I've tried to push negative thoughts aside, telling myself it was just a deep bruise that was going to take a long time to heal. After the second round of x-rays, the doctor told me he suspects I've broken my teeth at their roots, and my mind sort of went numb as he was saying things like "immediate treatment" or "oral surgery" and "root canals". These are not things I want to experience in my home country, let alone in a place where I still struggle to communicate basic ideas.
Well, now what? I don't have time for this. I don't have MONEY for this! As great as my overseas coverage is, it doesn't cover dental. I thanked the doctor & shuffled out of his office with my x-ray and the promise to follow up immediately with a dentist. I stuffed all of this to the back of my mind, and set off to meet dear friends who will soon be departing Moscow. I was truly looking forward to a relaxed evening.
Just as I thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, I took out my wallet to pay for dinner, and discovered that my month's cash had vanished. Everything for the month - GONE. Disappeared, almost as if there had never been money in there to begin with.
I know I didn't spend it; I know it didn't just "fall out". I didn't remove it & put it somewhere "safe". It's just gone. The only thing I can imagine is that someone managed to dig my wallet out of my purse, pick out the cash from among all of the receipts, business cards, and change, and then slip the wallet back into my purse, all while it was hanging on my shoulder. Those of you who've seen my purse can visualize how ridiculous this seems, but that's my only explanation. I had that bag with me the entire day yesterday, even while getting x-rays taken.
This was really the "last straw" of the week, and all of the strength, devotion, and bravado I'd kept up throughout the day just crumbled to bits. "Okay Lord, SERIOUSLY?"
And in the middle of the night, I heard His reply: "Yes, seriously. My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. No matter how much has been taken from you this week, I will restore all of it to you, and more, for I love you. Now walk in forgiveness, and live in peace."
This morning, as I turned on my computer, I was simply overwhelmed by the outpouring of encouragement which I'd received through e-mails & FB posts. Among the many links, quotes, and scriptures sent to me, a clip from "Entertaining Angels" is probably the most significant item I've seen today. Try as I might, I cannot get it to post to my Facebook page, so I'm posting the link here, and believing that those who truly need to see it will be able to access its message.
The Thief from Entertaining Angels
No matter the outcome of all of the mess of this last week, I will walk in forgiveness. My prayer is that the person who took my money will be able to receive that forgiveness, in some form or another.
(In case you missed the news, I took a bad fall about three weeks ago, and landed flat on my face. Literally - there wasn't time to get my hands out to stop me. My nose & mouth acted as the brake on my forward momentum. If you've never seen the impact of 62 kilos traveling 8 km/h and hitting the pavement from a height of 173 cm, suffice it to say it's not pretty. The recovery process has been remarkable, but it's still required medical treatment, hence yesterday's office visit.)
I've known since my fall that something was wrong with my nose & my upper teeth. You know when you just don't feel "right", right? Yet I've tried to push negative thoughts aside, telling myself it was just a deep bruise that was going to take a long time to heal. After the second round of x-rays, the doctor told me he suspects I've broken my teeth at their roots, and my mind sort of went numb as he was saying things like "immediate treatment" or "oral surgery" and "root canals". These are not things I want to experience in my home country, let alone in a place where I still struggle to communicate basic ideas.
Well, now what? I don't have time for this. I don't have MONEY for this! As great as my overseas coverage is, it doesn't cover dental. I thanked the doctor & shuffled out of his office with my x-ray and the promise to follow up immediately with a dentist. I stuffed all of this to the back of my mind, and set off to meet dear friends who will soon be departing Moscow. I was truly looking forward to a relaxed evening.
Just as I thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, I took out my wallet to pay for dinner, and discovered that my month's cash had vanished. Everything for the month - GONE. Disappeared, almost as if there had never been money in there to begin with.
I know I didn't spend it; I know it didn't just "fall out". I didn't remove it & put it somewhere "safe". It's just gone. The only thing I can imagine is that someone managed to dig my wallet out of my purse, pick out the cash from among all of the receipts, business cards, and change, and then slip the wallet back into my purse, all while it was hanging on my shoulder. Those of you who've seen my purse can visualize how ridiculous this seems, but that's my only explanation. I had that bag with me the entire day yesterday, even while getting x-rays taken.
This was really the "last straw" of the week, and all of the strength, devotion, and bravado I'd kept up throughout the day just crumbled to bits. "Okay Lord, SERIOUSLY?"
And in the middle of the night, I heard His reply: "Yes, seriously. My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. No matter how much has been taken from you this week, I will restore all of it to you, and more, for I love you. Now walk in forgiveness, and live in peace."
This morning, as I turned on my computer, I was simply overwhelmed by the outpouring of encouragement which I'd received through e-mails & FB posts. Among the many links, quotes, and scriptures sent to me, a clip from "Entertaining Angels" is probably the most significant item I've seen today. Try as I might, I cannot get it to post to my Facebook page, so I'm posting the link here, and believing that those who truly need to see it will be able to access its message.
The Thief from Entertaining Angels
No matter the outcome of all of the mess of this last week, I will walk in forgiveness. My prayer is that the person who took my money will be able to receive that forgiveness, in some form or another.
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