Impact0220

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The Day That ChangedEverything changed on August 14last year. The day before wasan enjoyable day. We were inToronto staying with my daughterand we had made the ferrycrossing to the island on the north sideof Lake Ontario. It was a beautiful clear,sunny day.The next day we had a restful daysitting on the decking of their house,when out of the blue it struck.I felt a huge weight bearing down onmy right side. Paramedics arrived in tenminutes and after a further ten minutesan ambulance was rushing me to thenearby stroke hospital. I later saw myadmission report “a 76-year-old man,bedridden and incontinent”. Not exactlya fl attering description! One day I wasfi ne, the next paralysed down my rightside.I received excellent treatment there,a smooth air fl ight home paid by theinsurance company straight to theHallamshire followed by three weeksof rehab in the Beechhill stroke centrebefore being sent home with carers andphysios. It couldn’t be better organisedand thanks to the NHS a seamlesssystem of care.I was numb. I couldn’t focus for awhile on the implications. It was hard topray. As I listened to staff and patientsI realised that strokes had long-termimplications and recovery would takenot weeks but months, even a year ormore. And every case was different. Nowonder the nurses wouldn’t answer myquestion of how long recovery wouldtake; “as long as a piece of string”, theysaid.As I began to refl ect on my reactions,I felt surprisingly positive. I can onlyattribute it to the prayers of so manyof you, and to the Holy Spirit whois described as ‘our Helper’ whowonderfully works His patience in us.I aimed to live one day at a time andtry and appreciate every little step ofprogress, keep myself busy by looking atfi lms I had made in the 1990s, readingbooks (Winnie the Pooh to start with!),St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, WoodseatsChurch Office: Linden Avenue, Sheffi eld S8 0GATel: (0114) 274 5086Page 10email: office@stchads.orgwebsite: www.stchads.org
My Life...keeping up with the news and doingsimple mouth and leg exercises.But I knew I couldn’t bury my head inthe sand over my long-term future. SoI faced the worst scenarios. What if myhand remained paralysed? Could I driveagain, use the computer, help my wifeAnn with all the carrying jobs she wasdoing for me? Could I walk normallyagain? Bringing the questions out in theopen helped to expose Satan’s secretweapon: fear.At about that time I read ‘The Shack’and the simple truth hit me that despiteall my failings ‘my Heavenly Father lovesme’. If he really loves me then he musthave a good purpose in permitting thingsto happen to me, even my stroke. Theonly response to such love must be trust.He has some purpose for me that I can’texperience any other way. He wants meto commit myself to him more completelythan ever. In his hands I became muchmore patient and contented.I’ve got lots of lessons to learn andhurdles to surmount. It won’t be easybut I hope that I can do what the Bibleencourages us all to do to: ‘run therace that is marked out before me withpatience, my eyes fi xed on Jesus’ whogoes before me and will accompany meon the rest of the journey.Jeremy ThorntonFamily optometrist andcontact lens practitionerOCT EYE SCAN NOW AVAILABLE• Free sight test and glasses for all under 16s• Private and NHS sight tests• Contact lenses for children and adults• Rayban glasses and sunglasses• Home visits by appointment• Prescription sportswear• Use your two-yearly Westfield allowance• Ample free on-street parkingTerminus Road, Millhouses S7 2LH0114 262 1955www.victoriasmithopticians.co.ukJOHNSONJOINERY & HOME IMPROVEMENTSERVICES LTDKITCHENS & BATHROOMSDESIGNED, SUPPLIED &FITTEDINTERNAL & EXTERNALJOINERYLAMINATE & SOLIDWOOD FLOORINGDECKINGSERVICES INCLUDE:UPVC & WOODWINDOWS & DOORSWALL & FLOOR TILINGGENERAL PLUMBINGSERVICESGENERAL HANDYMANSERVICES; ONE-OFF JOBSOR A LIST OF REPAIRSFRIENDLY & PROFESSIONAL SERVICETEL/FAX: 0114 2817022M: 07929188450E: aj27@blueyonder.co.ukSt Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, WoodseatsChurch Office: Linden Avenue, Sheffi eld S8 0GATel: (0114) 274 5086Page 11email: office@stchads.orgwebsite: www.stchads.org16
Page 1 and 2: WOODSEATS • SHEFFIELDFebruary/Mar
Page 3 and 4: You probably are familiar with the
Page 5 and 6: ‘Dear God, give me patience - I n
Page 7 and 8: Send details of your event to impac
Page 9: St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue,
Page 13 and 14: Are you waiting foranything at the
Page 15 and 16: the probable wrath of the Churchof
Page 17 and 18: There was a man calledJob. He had a
Page 19 and 20: Iam not sure when it was thatI took
Page 21 and 22: During the early 1990sI worked for
Page 23 and 24: They say that good thingscome to th
Page 25 and 26: its characteristic colour. In autum
Page 27 and 28: Percy Jackson and the LightningThie
Page 29 and 30: Here’s how little it coststo adve
Page 31 and 32: St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue,

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