"The Weaver"

So much of this week's news devastates. In times like these it's easy to become overwhelmed by nature's havoc and man's blunders. Yet God is in control. I know this because I know Him. Still, looking about me I can easily forget He has a plan. After all, one of our sons and his wife live in Colorado Springs. My mind and heart ache for them and all who wait for that disaster to end.

No, I do not attribute raging wildfires and flooding halfway around the world to God. Nor do I think the mind of man always seeks His wisdom before making decisions that affect us all. The prince of the power of the air ~ the devil ~ destroys and has his way. Yet God allows. Why? I don't know. I only know God is God, and He has a plan. He can make beauty out of ashes ~ even in the lives of us all.

The Weaver

By Grant Colfax Tullar

My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me.

I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.

Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper and I, the underside.

Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly

Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skillful Hand

As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

All of us go through good, joyful times as well as the much harder ones. Until we reach Heaven, we cannot see "the completed tapestry." So for today, trust the Weaver. Even when the enemy tries to devastate, God is sovereign ... and one day, believer, we will understand it all.

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.