Whew! What a week!
As I sit here with fingers poised to type, I pause, struggling to put words to emotions, chasing thoughts and attempting to communicate them, unsure what to say.
So I sigh...
...and smile as I think of a formerly childless couple who now hold a precious baby girl in their arms...
...and my heart aches as I remember so many hurting people...
...and I sigh again.
It's not that anything terrible happened in my family. It's not even that anything huge or life-changing or particularly news-worthy occurred within our immediate family circle. The worst part of this week for me personally was an unexpected and horrible flare-up of eczema on my hands, but in the light of eternity, that's nothing. Our week contained many happy moments: from our guests who shared Labor Day with us at the beginning of the week to some special guests that came for dinner tonight at the end of the week...and in between, David started a new gymnastics class, we've been feasting on delicious watermelon from our garden, violins are being picked up and played again, yummy cookies were made to sell to raise money for Josiah's upcoming SVCC trips, and so on. Life. Just plain simple life.
But it hasn't been a simple week for everyone, and my heart has been heavy as I've become acquainted with situations of intense suffering. For example, Eliza, the girl who was hit in the road on Labor Day and who is still in a coma in the hospital. And also, Sam, a local boy who is the age of my Josiah and who has been battling cancer for the past 14 months; it seems that the end of his journey is drawing near, and I CANNOT FATHOM what it would be like to say goodbye and watch your child die. Besides those, there was an accident on our highway that took the life of a 20-year-old mom this week; I didn't know her personally but am friends with some who did. It was such a strange feeling to look at the Facebook page of the woman who died and see the pictures she had just posted from her son's 2nd birthday, never having any idea that a day later, she would be dead. And then there was the man - a relative of a friend of mine in San Diego - who was badly burned in an accident involving a propane grill, and the request went out, "Would you please pray for him?" Of course.
An unusual part of this week, one that touched my soul deeply, was learning of the birth of a baby girl and watching her adoption from both sides - seeing a little of the perspectives of the birth family and of the adoptive parents. My emotions swung from heart-wrenching pain to joy and elation...and back again...time after time...every time I checked in.
In the midst of all of this, where else could I turn but to Jesus? I'm certain I prayed more this week than I have in a long time. Sometimes my prayers were no more eloquent than "Jesus, be near." As I thought of the young girl lying in the hospital bed in Charlottesville - "hold her close, Lord!" With Sam and his family - "comfort them! strengthen them!" The family of the woman killed in the car accident - "help them know You're near!" The man who was burned - "please heal him, and help him know that the healing comes from You!" And with the adoption...words often failed me, but the cry of my heart was for the sweet presence of Jesus to be real to all who were involved. "Help them, Lord! Be near!"
In this week, among all the reminders that the veil that separates life and death is thin, have been moments of beauty, and peace, and joy, and simplicity, and contentment. My eyes have been opened to them in a fresh way; maybe that's one of the accompanying benefits of hard times.
I think I've said "thank you, God" more often this week...for things like my favorite dog stretched out on our living room rug...
How sweet life is! How good God is! Not just to me in my pleasant, uneventful moments, but also to the family keeping vigil in a hospital room as their son lies dying...and to the young mom who's just placed her four-day-old baby in the arms of another woman who will raise her...and to all of us.
Whether we realize it or not.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
~ I Chronicles 16:34
1 comment:
What a heart touching post. It does feel as if there is such a roller coaster of sad and sweet things constantly in our midst. Heart aches and sorrows like never before in these last two years of our lives... of other lives touching ours with their pain and sorrow; almost unbelievably so at times, and we carry on and over come and try our best to comfort those who mourn while not being too over come by the sorrow ourselves; I know exactly what you are saying.... He is with us isn't He. His grace abounds in us He helps us all get through, carry on, over come; and How thankful I too feel for the many sweet, wonderful and precious things just like you said. Blessings Davene; I will remember to pray for all of these people.
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