Broken Hip

Nana broke her hip.  She was getting up from her bed to go answer the door for a friend, and that's when she took the fall.  It could have been that the hip was already fractured and that the fall was a result of it.  Either way, the end result is going to be surgery.  Also in the mix is a punctured lung, a collapsed lung - and the growing mass that inside.  We were there at the hospital tonight at the ER.  Mom went in to see while I was out there in the waiting area... waiting... Nana is frail, and there are concerns about surgery given her age and health.  We'll find out more tomorrow I think, as we're heading back to the hospital to spend time with her.  It's going to be a busy season here with us going to and fro.  We've been in contact with Uncle George, her son, and we've been talking to everyone who knows her about the situation.  It's less than ideal, and in a crazy twist of irony, Mom was just talking today with Dana, that social worker from before, about the possibility of hospice care.  There was a strong recommendation about hospice care, and the later on today we hear Nana broke her hip.   

Okay, so that was today's news, including an extensive visit to the hospital.  It's a nice hospital down in Cumming.  We were here a while.  We got back and there wasn't much time to watch anything, but we did revisit some Disney Infinity with the Brave level of the game - only as the Lone Ranger and Tonto.  The two of us were out battling fiery bears and green glowing fire things as we searched for pieces of pastry.  It is goofy, but it's fun.

So today Maddie was working on some illustrations with Procreate, a program that she's got on her iPad.  She's working on drawing people, and a nice picture of a rising sun too.  Or is it a sunset?  Maybe we can post it here and you can decide.

We had a pretty extensive meeting today ... about Christmas.  Yeah, Christmas.  We're doing a Christmas play in our main sanctuary in front of presumably thousands of people, and so we were wondering what to do for that.  We sort of lean towards the Grinch at the moment, given the colorful costumes and sets.  Plus, Mom has a pretty decent Grinch costume still.  We'll see as time goes by.  But we also have the other Christmas production upcoming too.  December is already swamped!  My thoughts on that lean towards a story narrated by Joseph.  We'll see how things go, by I had these thoughts here about Joseph:

1.  He was there from the beginning - Mary tells him she was visited by an angel, so he could narrate that.  He himself has a dream to explain what is going to happen to Mary and himself.  Imagine the acting conflict within - the social pressure to walk away from a cheating spouse and then the incredible moment that God shows him the Truth.

2.  He of course travels with Mary to Bethlehem.  It’s an interesting point of view there with Joseph - how are you supposed to be the father of God?  What on earth could you teach God?  Imagine all those thoughts you would have as a Dad if you learned that you’d have to raise the Son of God.  What a responsibility!

3.  He sees the shepherds and Wise Men arrive, of course.  He doesn’t know HOW they got here, but can narrate it to explain what led them to see Jesus.  They obviously explain it to him later.  But imagine his surprise as they arrive, and maybe the feeling of added confirmation that yes, this is truly the Son of God.

4.   I think the most interesting idea here of all is his connection to carpentry.  He was the carpenter and built things with wood and nails.  Jesus built a church that would stand forever, and of course there was the cross of wood that Jesus was nailed to.  Lots to preach with there, from a carpenter’s standpoint.  Lots of metaphors.  

5.  He and the Wise Men were warned in dreams about how to protect Jesus.  Joseph gets Mary and Jesus out of Bethlehem, and has the distinction of being that one guy who “saved the Savior.”  Obviously it wouldn’t happen without the God-directed dream the night before, but his obedience saved the very one who would bring salvation to all humanity.  Always thought that was interesting.

6.  We don’t focus much on Joseph at Christmas, because there’s a lot more written about Jesus and Mary, shepherds and Wise Men.  It might be a fresh take.  He may not have been the preacher, warrior, or miracle worker you see all throughout the Bible, but that “ordinary guy” is what makes up the church, the one who uses his gifts in obedience to move along and protect the message of salvation to the world.

It's Christmas in July!  We might be watching a few Christmas stories over the weekend, most notably the Grinch.  Tonight, we read from "Leia" before bedtime, and said our prayers.  We've also got some longer hospital stays this weekend, so we'll see how things go.