Yesterday, I shared the news that our son is facing serious medical issues, and we as a family are being tried and having to endure yet another painstaking trial. Some days, it can feel that the trials never end. We have been through medical issues in the past that were very serious with our other son and I have spent many sleepless nights praying and holding my child while he struggled to breathe, watching him suffer.
Thankfully, we witnessed a true miracle and our middle son is completely healed, only by the grace and power of God. His brain function is completely normal and actually tests well above average. Two years ago, he scored 99 percentile in four categories on his standardized tests, and that's pretty good for a kid that the doctors said might never really talk or be able to walk normally, or just be a normal kid. I will say, he's not "normal", but I think he's much better than "normal."
After enduring that trial and seeing him healed, we learned as a family that time is valuable and nothing is guaranteed in this life We are not guaranteed of another day on the planet--not you, not me, not anyone.
Life is short. Life is very precious...and life is unpredictable.
We never know what's coming next. In the hospital, I am counseling patients who have no hope for living. They want to die, or they wouldn't be there. The ones that don't want to die want to end life for someone else, usually because people have hurt them in their own lives and they're just so darn mad! I sit and look into the eyes of teenagers as they tell me they have attempted suicide multiple times because there's just nothing to live for anymore.
Life is precious. I'll say it again.
Yesterday was a tough day, I'm not going to lie. I was running around all day in a foggy haze, spent time crying at a friend's house, telling her my feelings (but she was amazing in helping me sort through them), and going to yet another doctor's appointment--only to hear more negative news about my son.
When I came home last night, I woke up from the daze. My little son was playing a video game and laughing and jumping up and down. He ran up to me and said, "Mama, TICKLE ME!" His favorite thing in the world is to be tickled. He wants to be tickled every single minute of the day and when you finally give into his pleading, he lets out the most wonderful giggle and says, "DO IT AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN--TICKLE ME MORE MOMMY!"
I love this kid. My heart walks on the outside of my body every day, trying not to get crushed by the sorrows and troubles in this life. I love all my children this way. I feel their vulnerability and my heart is walking around this earth with THEM all day long. When they hurt, I hurt. When they cry, I cry. When they laugh, I laugh.
Last night, after a good tickle session with my boy, homework with my other son (along with a very good long snuggly hug), and just doing volleyball practice with my daughter--I had an epiphany.
Life is short. Life is precious. Life is unpredictable.
So what can I do? I can make the MOST of EVERY. SINGLE. MOMENT.
I can snuggle longer with my children, laugh more, play more, get more involved in their worlds and just appreciate every moment that we DO have to together, instead of focusing on the ones that we might NOT have together.
I can't control the outcome of life, but I can control what I choose to do with the life that I was given. My life is precious. My children's lives are precious. We are not going to waste a single moment worrying about the things that we cannot control. We are going to love more, laugh more, and praise God more for His goodness and the gift of life that He has so graciously given to us.
I'm not guaranteeing I won't cry more tears--that would be a lie, but my focus has changed. I am about living, not worrying about whether or not we are going to die.
I encourage you today to do the same.
God bless you all in Jesus' name.
Matthew 6:34
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Thankfully, we witnessed a true miracle and our middle son is completely healed, only by the grace and power of God. His brain function is completely normal and actually tests well above average. Two years ago, he scored 99 percentile in four categories on his standardized tests, and that's pretty good for a kid that the doctors said might never really talk or be able to walk normally, or just be a normal kid. I will say, he's not "normal", but I think he's much better than "normal."
After enduring that trial and seeing him healed, we learned as a family that time is valuable and nothing is guaranteed in this life We are not guaranteed of another day on the planet--not you, not me, not anyone.
Life is short. Life is very precious...and life is unpredictable.
We never know what's coming next. In the hospital, I am counseling patients who have no hope for living. They want to die, or they wouldn't be there. The ones that don't want to die want to end life for someone else, usually because people have hurt them in their own lives and they're just so darn mad! I sit and look into the eyes of teenagers as they tell me they have attempted suicide multiple times because there's just nothing to live for anymore.
Life is precious. I'll say it again.
Yesterday was a tough day, I'm not going to lie. I was running around all day in a foggy haze, spent time crying at a friend's house, telling her my feelings (but she was amazing in helping me sort through them), and going to yet another doctor's appointment--only to hear more negative news about my son.
When I came home last night, I woke up from the daze. My little son was playing a video game and laughing and jumping up and down. He ran up to me and said, "Mama, TICKLE ME!" His favorite thing in the world is to be tickled. He wants to be tickled every single minute of the day and when you finally give into his pleading, he lets out the most wonderful giggle and says, "DO IT AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN--TICKLE ME MORE MOMMY!"
I love this kid. My heart walks on the outside of my body every day, trying not to get crushed by the sorrows and troubles in this life. I love all my children this way. I feel their vulnerability and my heart is walking around this earth with THEM all day long. When they hurt, I hurt. When they cry, I cry. When they laugh, I laugh.
Last night, after a good tickle session with my boy, homework with my other son (along with a very good long snuggly hug), and just doing volleyball practice with my daughter--I had an epiphany.
Life is short. Life is precious. Life is unpredictable.
So what can I do? I can make the MOST of EVERY. SINGLE. MOMENT.
I can snuggle longer with my children, laugh more, play more, get more involved in their worlds and just appreciate every moment that we DO have to together, instead of focusing on the ones that we might NOT have together.
I can't control the outcome of life, but I can control what I choose to do with the life that I was given. My life is precious. My children's lives are precious. We are not going to waste a single moment worrying about the things that we cannot control. We are going to love more, laugh more, and praise God more for His goodness and the gift of life that He has so graciously given to us.
I'm not guaranteeing I won't cry more tears--that would be a lie, but my focus has changed. I am about living, not worrying about whether or not we are going to die.
I encourage you today to do the same.
God bless you all in Jesus' name.
Matthew 6:34
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
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