i'm re-posting this beautiful post my sister wrote during our last vigil. As i write this, my niece Sadie is over half way done her chemo treatments for LCH. It has been a rough year - praying, hoping and trusting - and leaving her precious life in the faithful hands of the Father who loves her the most.
by jessica
When I was pregnant with our little Eva, a family friend asked my husband Curt if he was looking forward to having a boy or a girl.
"Well, it doesn't really matter!"
She laughed and then said something that a person hears a lot when they are expecting:
"Yeah, i guess so. As long as the baby is healthy!"
Curt blurted out, "Actually, that doesn't really matter either."
She looked a little taken aback. Curt tried to explain what he meant. "Well, i know what you mean but... We've had 6 children born to us so far. They were all "healthy" and "perfect". Seven years after our first son was born, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. At three, our daughter was diagnosed with a rare hormonal deficiency called diabetes insipidus, and then at 5, it was discovered that this original diagnosis was caused by a rare cancer-like disease growing on her pituitary. There are no guarantees in life, and although we don't want our children to be in pain, we know that even this present suffering can be "worked out" for good as we love and train our children in the middle of their suffering."
When he got home that night, he brought up the conversation with me and how he had surprised himself with what he had blurted out. "But Jess, it's true."
Yeah, it is.
Why do we say those words... "As long as they are healthy?"
"As long as they are healthy..." what?
-then i'll be happy?
-then i'll be thankful?
-then i'll know that the pregnancy was "worth it"?
-then i'll know that they will have an easy life and not worry?
Not true.
If they are not healthy... then what?
What will be lost?
Our joy?
Our faith?
Our love?
Our peace?
Our patience?
Our self control?
Our goodness?
Our kindness?
Our faithfulness?
...Jesus,
My children are in your hands.
I give them back to you.
With their strengths,
with their frailties....
as long as they remain in your love...
then I'll know that they have been *fully delivered*.
I am linking to this on my blog - I get so tired of hearing that "as long as their healthy" comment.
ReplyDeleteMy husband (obviously not as eloquent as Curt;-) said recently, right after I got a scary pre-natal blood test result, "we'll get what we'll get."
ReplyDeleteYou don't know my husband but there is a lot wrapped up in that short comment. Things like, "have faith, Lesley", "trust, Lesley", "God will give us the baby we are supposed to have"...
And He will.
And I can't wait to meet her.