When Things Aren't Normal

The following was a post that I was working on Saturday Oct. 4. I forgot to post it so I thought I would post it now. Jay is recovering fine and is itching to get to his normal activities.

How many times have you had your plans changed? Plans that changed not of your desires but because of circumstances. Well, we have had a week like that. Like most we went to bed Sunday night only to wake up with our son complaining of nausea. I sent him back to bed and his mom called his work to let them know he wouldn't be in. Tuesday still sick. Wednesday still sick and a trip to a new doctor because ours has been sick and out of his practice. Wednesday afternoon in the hospital after finding that he was dehydrated. Thursday test and no clear picture of what was wrong. Hoping to go home Friday, but one more test. Test came back positive as gall stones. Saturday afternoon in surgery to remove gall bladder. That is where we are now.

While I am typing this, I am waiting for a call letting us know how things are going down there. Jay went in nervous, understandably. But some medicine can work wonders with the nerves and that is OK. But the calming for us has been God's Spirit over us. He has given us many promises that He will take care of us when things aren't normal. Although not worried, I am concerned and pray that things go according to plan and I am confident that they will.

The first call just came and the surgery has begun and things are going well.

I am wondering how people handle these things without God's love in their lives. Do they just hope that things are going to be okay? If that is their approach where is their hope placed? Do they depend on luck for the outcome? Is their approach Ca Serra Serra(what ever will be will be)? I have been a Christian since I was 6, so I cannot relate to that way of being. I cannot remember not having Christ to lean on in all my growing to maturity. Sometimes I lost my way but He was right there when I figured out he was my hope.

So as I sit here waiting for the next call, I remember that I ran into some very longtime friends of my family in the hallway of the hospital. Wife/Momma was in the hospital very sick. This morning I read that she passed away last night. I know they are in deep hurt but I also know where their hope is. Pray as they adjust.

Well, the Dr. just left and said everything went as according to plan and he should be back in the room in a few minutes. So, our weekend wasn't what we had hoped to do but, God was in control as he always is and he made provision for what was about to happen.

On many occasions I have mentioned Noah, Julie, and Magdalena Roberts. In case you have forgotten, they are the couple whose baby was born with T18. I have been following their blog since the summer when the diagnosis was made. It has been an inspiration to me and hundreds if not thousands of others on how well they have dealt with each and every trial, setback, and rejoiced in every accomplishment.

In her latest blog entries, Julie has told us about the weakness of Magdalena's heart. There have been many decisions to make in regards to her health and daily care. Some have been just down right tough. Julie has acknowledged many times that she knows that she and Noah have a God determined time with their little girl, but one comment today struck me. Julie wrote, "For a little bit of time I forgot she was sick, and I really began to think that she had become one of the less than 5% of T18 babies that make it to their first birthday. However, the cardiologist appointment has brought us back to the reality of how weak her heart is, and although I want her as long as possible I am praying that God will grant her comfort before my selfishness."

I am sitting here now rolling that last phrase over and over in my head, "...her comfort before my selfishness". I know she doesn't make that statement lightly, but it is the statement that comes from the heart of a mother that loves her daughter more than life itself.

I think that is what I was trying to get across in my last post. The harm done to children like, murder, abortion, sexual abuse, physical abuse, divorce, abduction, all are born from a heart of selfishness.

We don't want to, we cannot, we will not, let this little life change us or our lifestyle, but change us it will. Jesus placed importance on the lives of children. He showed us that they have value not only to Him and the Kingdom of God, but to us (society) as well. In the Old Testament, God instructs us to teach our children his ways so that our grandchildren and the generations to follow will ascribe to his teachings and ways. Here is where we have failed and are reaping the generations that are easily swayed to accept contrary teachings.

Months ago, Noah and Julie were faced with a decision. The diagnosis of T18 by medical calculations, is certain death. It is not a matter of if but when. Wouldn't it have been easier for them if Magdalena had not beaten the odds and never had been born? Could they have decided to terminate the pregnancy, based on medical facts, been able to justify the termination to themselves and to others? Sure. Some would have said that carrying the baby to term was an act of selfishness, but they resolved, and rightly so, to believe that this precious little life is not what they created but was God's creation and is perfect in his sight and his purpose.

Why The Children?

Lately, as I read through the news or listen on TV, there are stories upon stories of children being mistreated or killed. We are loosing generations because our children are being aborted, molested, beaten down physically, and mentally. They are tossed around like animals with no concern about their health. They are not loved. They are tortured more inhumanly than the military will torture combatants. They are kept from food and basic hygiene. They are shot and killed by drive byes, angry moms and dads, and out of control brothers and sisters, while in their own beds asleep. They are used as pawns in divorce disputes and tossed aside as if they don't exist. Why?

I look at the countless pictures of little girls and boys, such as Madelene and Caylee. Their precious innocence and life are in the balance or maybe even lost. I look at the picture of my own grandson and just cringe at the thought that someone would even think to bring harm against his little life. And then, I go beyond disbelief to anger.

In Malachi 5-6,(NIV) God says that he will send the prophet Elijah, "before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes". In v6 it says, "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the heart of their children to their fathers". And then He issues a warning,"... or else I will come and strike the land with a curse". I know this warning was for Israel, but if God would deal with Israel in this way, and he is a just God, will he not have to deal with us in the same way?

Right now, this very moment, we are sitting on the cusp of that curse. I can not believe that God will continue to withhold his judgment. In just a few days we will go to the polls and elect a new president. One, in his own words, says 'It is above my pay grade" to know whether abortion should be legal. The other is not only strongly pro-life, but also has a running mate who put her actions where her mouth is. Each of will have to choose but I hope not blindly.

Our Republic

Here lately, I have been laughing out loud at comments made on various web sites. Sometimes I wonder if some of these folks ever went to school. I even wonder what they must be teaching in school in the subjects of history and civics. I am amazed that they can twist fact into meaning what they want, when they want and when it best suits them.

I have to wonder what America will look like in just a few short years. Senator Phil Graham was recently ridiculed in the press for calling Americans "a nation of whiners". In reality, that is exactly what we have become. We have the greatest of all blessings here, but yet we have become obsessed with ourselves, our own individual feelings and best interest.

I grew up during the Cold War era and in that time, Russia, the former Soviet Union, said they would destroy America without firing a shot, from within. Look around, what does it look like to you?

Our "Christian Walk" looks more like a drag. A lot of us have to look in the table of contents in our Bibles to find the book of John or Luke, or Romans. We haven't and don't take a moment out of our day to teach the very basics of our faith to our children. So what has happened? We have lost our sense of right and wrong, good and evil.

Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? If so, how do you get to either? Is Jesus the only way? Can works get you there? I know everyone doesn't believe as I do, that the only way to heaven is by the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. But I believe these numbers from Barna show us a lot. In 2007, Barna reported there is tendency to believe that if you do enough good things then you will go to heaven. The results show that in 2007, 54% agree with that statement and 38% disagreed. Even though there has been a slight decrease since 1993 when 56% agreed with this statement, it still shows how we have fallen well short of teaching and convincing folks of the truth. Have they failed to listen or have we failed to speak? I hope it is the former.