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Kingdom Life

Sometimes life throws you a curveball

Our curveball?

Photo Credit: Brady Withers via Compfight cc

About two weeks ago, at 3am, we were woken by a phone call we’ve been dreading.

Tony’s mom had fallen in the middle of the night. Would Tony go at once to the ER.

Sure enough, Penelope, a strong Christian who has served the Lord faithfully all her life in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, had fractured her wrist in several places. So, of course, after they had set her arm, we brought her back home with us.

After a few days of looking after her 24 hours a day, it became apparent that we are not able to give her the care she needs. Her doctors also advised us that she should no longer live independently–it was her second fall in two weeks.

What to do? It’s the problem many people face with their elderly parents. It’s a tough decision. Would she do best at our home if we brought in extra nursing care? Would she do better in a facility that could care for her where there were people around all day.  (She loves talking with people and sharing the Lord with them).

In the end, Penelope made the decision for us. She and Tony had passed a skilled nursing facility about 5 minutes from our home while returning from a doctor visit. They both felt they should investigate it. Not only can the facility handle all the rehab Penelope needs for her arm, they had a bed available. She was quite sure this was the Lord’s provision for her. So a couple of days ago she moved in.

Why do I tell you all this?

I’ve been blogging two to three times a week for several years. You may (or may not) have noticed I’ve not blogged in a couple of weeks. It was precipitated by the lack of time because of the situation with Tony’s mom, but I’ve decided to take a break from blogging for a month or so. We not only have to clear Penelope’s apartment in the next few days, we are shortly going to some developing nations in Asia to speak about simple/organic church. Other members of the family will stay here to look after her.

But before I “sign off” for a few weeks, I’d like to share something else with you. My last post was a brilliant poem (Mary Go Round) about the sex trade by Anita Scott. Anita wrote telling me how she came to create the poem. The post garnered a lot of views, so I thought you might be interested in this email from her.

Felicity, My friend asked me a specific question. She asked what did I want people’s response to be when they watch or read the poem. 
 
I told her: When I wrote the poem, it was a few hours after studying sex trafficking online for hours. Right after that, I put on some music and let myself imagine what it would be like to be in a dark room hour after hour.  That’s probably a really crazy imagination, but I did.
 
I couldn’t write the poem until I was actually in the poem.  I had been trying for months to think of ways to write this poem.  I was trying to become inspired.  I don’t think the Holy Spirit wanted me to become inspired.  It was more like He wanted me to become Mary so I could write for her.  
 
That being said, I want people’s response to be whatever God asks of them.  If He asks them to raise awareness, then so be it. If He asks them to speak out against from a pulpit, so be it. If He asks them to sponsor a woman to find safety, then so be it.  I want the words from the poem to convict and let people see the reality of what happens to women who are treated like sex slaves.  I want areas of their hearts to become awakened with passion to help set “Mary’s” all around the world free.

4 replies on “Sometimes life throws you a curveball”

Dear Felicity, thank you for the update. Our hearts remain in agreement with all He is doing in Penelopes and your lives. Thank God for His grace in opening this door. Every grace to you all. Will miss seeing you online but glad for your season of refreshing.

I know what you are talking about–my mom is in her eighties and is living independently and to boot she is for sure not saved–she lives in Florida and im in Oklahoma–im trusting my heavenly and indwelling lord to work out the details.

Hi, Felicity. A friend of mine in California, Dick Scoggins, told me to get in touch with you and your husband.

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