So You Won't Go Through This Alone

Last Sunday should have been our son's high school graduation. That's what's marked on the calendar. But what actually took place was abdominal surgery. Of course, God knew this all ahead of time. He even knew before we adopted Min that he would one day face surgery due to his genetic disease.

Week ago Monday our son had an ultrasound to study his kidneys, which can become problematic for kids with neurofibromatosis, type 1. During that scan, a large mass was found. We spent the rest of that week helping Min through additional tests, resulting in surgery by week's end. Now that the grapefruit-sized mass is removed, our son lies recovering ~ very slowly and not so smoothly.

Because of our son's other life-struggle, Asperger's, we are staying with him around-the-clock, attempting to keep his busy hands from undoing IV's, stopping him from removing tubes that must stay in place, and protecting his incision. It's a 24/7 task.

A thought occurred to me when doctors told us our son would have a large active tumor removed ... This is why we adopted Min ~ so he wouldn't go through this alone. Oh sure, there are other reason we adopted him, but perhaps non so important as this (with exception to teaching him about the Savior so he could one day accept Jesus into his life).

Did we adopt Min because we needed him? Not in one sense of the word. Did we want him? Yes. If we hadn't adopted Min, he was slated to go to an orphanage for the "unadoptable." I thought about what it might have been like if Min had faced this surgery and rough aftermath in a hospital without family ... perhaps alone and so full of fear.

I've also reflected how my relationship with God, Who adopted me, is similar. Did He need me? Not really. Did He want me? Yes. And He is with me through all the trials I go through. That's a great reason to be adopted. I'm so glad my loving Father took me in and made me a part of His family so I don't have to go through ANYTHING alone.

During Min's struggles with testing, surgery, and rough post-op period, he cried, "I'm so glad you are here to help me."

Min, we are too ... and we're also grateful that God is with us all so we don't have to go through this alone.

*During our time at the hospital, I'm not able to get into this browser and respond or post additional blogs. We are going on week two there. Please be patient with me. I shall return! And thank you so much for your prayers. We certainly need them.

Forgotten Treasures

Our on-going effort to remove clutter and unused items from our home resulted in my husband purchasing a USB turntable ~ spending countless hours converting well over 100 vinyl LP records into digital format and burned onto CDs.

Weeks later, thanks to hubby's hard work, I enjoy beautifully performed classical music ~ a collection once belonging to his parents and one they treasured. No wonder. Even now as I write, my heart and mind are calmed by the works of Bach, Handel, Liszt, Schubert, Haydn, Brahms, Mozart, and many more.

Not only do I enjoy this, but I love hearing those melody lines used in songs found in our hymnals. Then there are others that live in songs of our day and age, walking me down memory lane. So this phase of Operation Downsize has been (other than boxes of records and stacks of electronic equipment all over our living room) pure pleasure.

For years these records sat in boxes, were stored in closets, and filled our bottom bookshelf  six feet from where I new write. Unused.

I liken this to my Bible. God gave His precious Word to us century's ago. We have many Bibles filling our bookshelves. This holy Book is filled with treasures and within fingertip grasp. Yet if I leave them as "objects" filling our shelves, I miss the treasures God has for me.

In the pages of God's Word are life, hope, blessing, love, and ~ oh ~ so much more! Through reading what God wrote to me, I build a relationship with my Savior and become more like Him through the time we spend together.

Today I will not only treasure the beautiful music filling our home, but I will also wonder in the life-giving, hope-breathing words God has given.

Master Designer

Photo by Heidi Beukema Hurley

Maybe it's my art-trained eye, but I tend to see design in everything around me. Symmetry, patterns, positive and negative spaces, lights and darks creating affects where color doesn't exist.

Or is it that God intended His creation to reflect beauty and design? Unlike me who uses her eyes and hands to make something out of nothing, the Master Designer spoke all He made into being. How fitting of The Word!

Photo by Mitchell Williams

This past weekend seemed horrible, to put it bluntly. My little world spun out of control. Pattern, beauty, symmetry, design? Not visible to me until I washed my eyes with tears, called out to God, and took a ride. Then I saw it all around me. God's reminders. His creations shouting from both sides of the road!

This same God Who spoke design, patterns, symmetry, and positive and negative spaces into being also cares about my broken heart. May I never forget that. He is interested in every detail. And while my world seems to spiral out of control, His does not. I can rest in Him. Trust Him. See in the negatives the beauty and purpose of the positives.