The experience of this week, has given me a deeper understanding of what Paul meant when he wrote about the purpose of weakness being that of making is stronger.
I'm also reminded that Jesus told us "without me you can do nothing." John 15:5 - for a few days this week I could do very little for myself. I felt stupid and helpless until I submitted and accepted that "these things must first come to pass".
This morning I woke up again with a headache. The nurse thought it might be just tension in the muscles from carrying around the plaster so she kindly sent for a physio. The exercises brought me great relieve and tears of gratitude filled my eyes as I said "Danke schön" over and over again.
A short time later a guy came with a large warm mud pack to place on my shoulders. I asked him what was in it and he described it as 'moss', I joked that it's probably good Irish muck, and he was happy to go along with that :) He shaped it around my back, got me to lie down on it and told me to just to close my eyes and relax for 45 minutes. (The next bit really made me laugh!) I thought to myself, 'now how can I best relax?' 'Recite memory verses' came the answer and immediately Psalm 23 came to mind. I started to say it out loud. "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures..." Then I started to laugh. There I was, lying in a German hospital bed, on part of a pasture and the Lord had put me there and made me to lie on it. Thank you Lord for using even that to lift my spirits.
I kept going "...He leads me beside still waters" and I thought of the bottles of sparkling (not still) water that have lined my bedside table all week and given me refreshment when I was so weak... But then the comparisons started to run out (having said that I think those 2 illustrations will pop up in quite a few future sermons!)
Anyway... The chief consultant came around today, removed the plaster and we all got our first glance at the wound. He was pleased with the healing and wants to remove the drain and stitches tomorrow provided most of the wound fluids have dried up. He plans to let me go tomorrow. If the drain has to stay in I will get it removed early next week in my local hospital. Please pray that everything will be removed tomorrow and that no futher intevention will be necessary.
PS I just found out today that the reason I was given a private room was because they felt I posed a danger of infection to patients that had just been operated on. However I praise God for His provision. He knew I needed the quiet and I'm just so glad I didn't have to watch my neighbours TV all week!
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