Reasons for Thankfulness
by Ray Notgrass
I have a special reason to be thankful this year.
This past June 14, the day before my 50th birthday, I was involved in an accident in which I broke both wrists. I spent that landmark birthday with my arms in casts, on pain medicine, and unable to do anything for myself. After major surgery, five weeks of having external fixators protruding from both forearms, and almost four months of occupational therapy, I am well down the road of recovery. I hope that I have learned some lessons that will help me in my life from now on.
First, I am more thankful. I am thankful that I am alive, that I can use my hands, and that I can feed myself. I know that every day I have is a gift and a blessing. I can't imagine Lazarus, after Jesus raised him from the dead, ever waking up of a morning and groaning, "Oh no, do I have to get up again?" In the same way, I want to see every moment of every day as an opportunity for good and to give praise to God. Sometimes I shake my head in amazement at what I have been through, and I give thanks that I can wash dishes, brush my teeth, and type. I hope I never lose this sense of gratitude. I am especially thankful for all the medical personnel who enabled my recovery and for my wife and children, who have helped me through it.
Second, I am more sensitive toward those who are injured and those who live with permanent handicaps. Since the accident, I have heard many stories about people who have gone through worse things than I did. I don't hear about an accident without wincing for the person involved. During my recovery, I watched a program about the terrible fighting involved in taking the island of Iwo Jima during World War II. I have been humbled by what other people have suffered.
Third, I have seen much good come from the accident, my injuries, and my recovery. When the disciples saw a man born blind in John 9, they asked Jesus why this had happened. Jesus said that wasn't the question to ask. He said that it had happened "so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3). We can go crazy trying to figure out why things happen as they do. Our calling is to respond to any and every situation by doing the works of God in that case.
My family and I have been the recipients of many acts of kindness and assistance. My wife and I have spent a great deal of time together as she has helped me in many ways. I think the members of our family have matured from having gone through this experience. I have seen the works of God in my case through the hands and lives of many people.
Fourth, I have realized as never before that nothing of value comes easy. I have had to work and struggle to recover even the level I have of what I was able to do before the accident, but I simply will not give up. I am determined that with God's help I will overcome this setback, be a better person, and accomplish something of value with my life. I believe that I have no other choice.
Fifth, on a lighter note, I have learned never again to ask if my life can get more complicated. It always can.
If this were a testimonial on religious television, at this point I would be expected to say that I can now play the violin, that I have speaking engagements across the country, and that I have written the great American novel. The reality is that my story is not yet over. I still must follow a daily exercise routine to continue recovering a fuller use of my hands than I have now. The accident happened at the busiest time of the year for my work, and we have had ups and downs in our business since then. This is a success story not because I have reached the conclusion, but because God is making the process of recovery a success even if I am never completely able to do what I did before. My experience will never be something I talk about before cameras and spotlights, but I believe it is in some ways similar to the experience that many people live with every day.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" (Psalm 118:1). In my fifty Thanksgivings, I have never known the truth of those words as deeply as I do this year. I hope you have a happy and a truly thank-full Thanksgiving.