A tumble down the hill

            As I write I am digging out dirt from beneath my finger nails, and not because my green thumb interests were suddenly awakened. What brought me to the flowerbed this morning was actually another scenario, it was to pull Rebecca out of the flower beds! Let me rewind....
     Rebecca's morning routine always includes her quiet time with God which weather permitting is spent at the bottom of her garden with her Bible, cup of coffee, and slice of toast. As usual Rebecca began to drive her wheelchair down the garden path while I prepared her toast and coffee, once finished I began to follow her down enjoying the garden's morning splendor. Next thing I knew I was watching Rebecca in an effort to avoid the overgrown hydrangea branches drive off the path and topple over the incline into the magnolia bush and flower bed. There she was, face planted in the dirt with her wheelchair on its side and her body half twisted out of it. I can't clearly remember the next moments, it was one of those crisis moments when you go into auto-pilot mode. I know that after confirming that although a bit squished Rebecca was alive, breathing, and talking (all good things) I called for Paul who was with her instantly and then sprinted upstairs to awaken Annie and Naomi for their assistance. Later with half the magnolia bush trimmed away we were able to untangle Rebecca from the chair, bring the chair and Rebecca into a proper position and with the assistance of a neighbor and a sheet lift Rebecca back into her chair and return her to the safety of her bed. Through the entire crisis Paul and Rebecca remained extremely calm, I suppose they are pros when it comes to these types of scenarios.Rebecca's two biggest concerns while laying in the flowerbed (her head at this point in my lap rather than in the dirt) was not being able to have her quiet time and fear of having to return to the hospital. Her concerns towards a hospital visit were put to rest after the doctor visited an hour later confirming that nothing was broken and aside from some intense bruising and soreness Rebecca would be fine (but prayers for her body's recovering are appreciated). We are all amazed at God's protection in allowing Rebeccca to fall into the flowerbed rather than onto the other hard surfaces and protecting her body in a way so that not one bone was broken.
         Recently one might describe Paul and Rebecca as Jack and Jill in reverse. Rebecca falls down the stairs and Paul comes running after her and almost 11 years later Rebecca falls out of her chair and literally down the hill and again Paul comes running after. Yet within each moment of crisis those around them hear them thanking the Lord for His goodness. This perspective is well expressed in Rebecca's book (which can be purchased on Amazon at this link Falling Into Grace-Rebecca Petrie) where she writes,

 "God is always working for our good. He sees the higher good. In the crises as we look to Him and yield He will work. One, at this time is tempted to be angry and run from Him. But if we can turn to Him, into His arms and love, He will reveal Himself and work good in our lives. Looking back today, what a joy it is to see the goodness of God revealed in our lives"
             So if we find ourselves in a crisis situation face down in the dirt unable to move or with things we don't like such as a sore and bruised body we can know that God is always working for our good. We all face realities in life we wouldn't chose and are forced into crises we cannot foresee, but within each situation we can choose to see God working for a higher good and see it as an opportunity to run towards Him.
   Already I can see personally how what could have been a frightening experience turned into an incredilbe learning experience. Seeing the depth of Paul and Rebecca's faith and trust in God through the crisis gave me a greater desire to grow in faith and trust in my relationship with God so that when the next crisis arises I can act with confidence knowing that God is always working for our good. And so in another way God is showing and teaching me things here in a way I could never imagine, even through a tumble down the hill.

The scene of the fall