I Didn’t Choose…

I didn’t choose to…break my ankle!

I’ve had a lot of time to sit and think lately, mostly because I have had a cast on my right foot up to the knee for the past six weeks. I have spent a lot of time in our recliner with my foot elevated.

In August we were teaching at a family camp in France. We were so excited to be back in the land for which we have such a heart and burden. The day we finished our teaching for the week, I was going down a short staircase of six steps. I took the first two quite well. For some unexplained reason, I tried to take the last four all at once. (Not on purpose, I assure you!) I found myself on the ground, holding my leg and moaning loudly in a very undignified manner. I glanced down at my foot and noticed that it was cocked at about a 30 degree angle from my leg. My first thought was, “That doesn’t look right. What in the world have I done?”

Bottom line: I spent six days in the hospital in Grenoble, France (I later learned it has a world renowned orthopedic department.) I had dislocated my foot and broken three bones in my ankle. I had surgery to put in a plate on the outside ankle, two rods on the inside ankle, and ten screws to hold it all together.

As I have thought about this experience it is like so many others in my life. I didn’t choose this. Actually, I have gotten to experience many things in life I didn’t choose…accidents, malaria, stolen items, riots, lost documents, childhood traumas, our own children’s traumas, Margaret’s stroke, etc. You understand, because you have also been through these kinds of things. I can choose what I eat for the next meal, but so much of life I don’t choose, it just happens.

When we got stuck in France for two extra weeks, I saw the Father give us opportunities to share with college students who were at the same conference center. They were there from all over France for a week of training. Several were third culture kids and didn’t know that term or how it applied to them until I explained. Some were seeking discernment about a major for the coming year or work situations. I got to listen, encourage and pray with them, opportunities I would not have had if I didn’t break my ankle.

So, I have chosen to see God’s hand at work in these things. Sometimes I see immediately and other times a bit later. Sometimes it takes me a while to see how God has worked. Yet, he has always been faithful. In faith I choose to wait and see how he will work in these experiences I didn’t choose.