Tuesday, March 17, 2009

While We are Waiting




We had the opportunity to share Sunday night about our homeschool journey to parents who are interested in knowing more about it. One of the questions that was posed to Jim and I and another couple was "How do you expose them to the real problems of life? I mean they are never going to experience the conflicts that kids deal with today in the schools. How are they going to grow and mature as Christians?" After a pause to reflect, I answered to him that we literally live LIFE with our children. In the past 4 years, my husband has had a stroke and literally the Lord only know how many surgeries, my son has been diagnosed with a high maintenance incurable disease, we have had dear friends lose their children, my husband has traveled on the road for 10 years Sunday thru Thursday, we had 4 kids somehow during that time, and currently we are trusting God for employment. I don't know how much "realer" life gets than that I said, but we have walked this road as a family. I encourage my children to see God's hand in all of these things and how He has used it for His glory. They have seen the good, the bad, and the really sinful side of their mom and dad but most of all I pray that when they go through hard times (and they will), they will know that they can always "Trust in the name of the Lord our God."

We are going back to Springfield. We need prayers today. Jim asked me to look at one of the incisions on his head last night. Low and behold, the wire is sticking out through the scar. There is close to an inch of exposed wire. After calling Clinvest last night, we got an urgent phone call this morning asking for Jim to come back in immediately. Apparently the risk of infection is VERY high and we have to go back to Springfield tomorrow and have yet another surgery. Right now the neurosurgeon is saying that he will have to remove the lead (leed) and that Jim can have ANOTHER surgery later to have them put back in. We DON”T want this to happen. We are praying that they can just move the lead over to another incision site instead of removing everything. The device is working amazingly well. So please pray that God will take Jim’s body under his amazing protection and there will be no risk of infection to his brain or anywhere else. The staff at Clinvest and the Neurosurgeon are kind of freaking out about the risk of infection. Pray that Dr. Baker won’t have to remove everything and that the device can stay intact. Please pray for my sanity. Please pray for anything else that may come to mind as I really can’t think.

Regarding our current job situation or lack there of :). Jim has a strong lead that we have been praying for. If this is an open door for Jim, then it will all work in His time and would be amazing. If not, there is a different plan and direction and we will continue to trust in His provision for our family. I appreciate your prayers and would ask that everyone would continue to hold us up in prayer as we seek to go where God ultimately desires us to be. I know the next chapter is bound to be exciting. The growth that is occurring personally in our lives right now during these challenges is important and prayerfully a witness to those around us. My heart is that this will all be used for His glory in spite of ourselves. My praise is that I love having Jim home with us and so do the kids. What a blessing this time is and God is providing for our needs.

I love the following scriptures. They have challenged me the past few weeks, reminding me that again I am not in control and that I am to "wait for the Lord." His plan is amazing, His grace is sufficient, and He is the only one that can ever meet my needs. The house we live in is His house, the things that we have our His, the food that we eat are His, and I want most of all for me and the rest of my family to be all His. I hope these are encouraging verses for you as they are for me. Blessings to you my friends (and I don't mean materially, I mean the blessing of the Lord spiritually). Again, God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.


Psalm 25:4-5
"Make me know Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your Truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day."

Psalm 25:12-22
"Who is the man who fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
His soul will abide in prosperity,
And his descendants will inherit the land.
The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.
My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me out of my distress.
Look upon my affliction and my trouble,
And forgive all my sins.
Look upon my enemies, for they are many,
And they hate me with violent hatred.
Guard my soul and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I Wait for You.
Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of his troubles."

Psalm 27:5-6
"For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord."

Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord."



In the meantime we are waiting. That would be a good scene to describe us. I pray that we will move forward serving and worshiping as God would intend us to no matter what our earthly circumstances are.

3 comments:

Kipplyn said...

We love you and are thankful for your real friendship. Thank you for sharing life with us. We will be praying!

Becky said...

You have a lot on your plate right now. Thanks for having such a great attitude in the waiting and in the unknown. I will be praying for your family!

sonja said...

Thank you for this post. I had NO idea what has been going on in your family over the past few years and I consider that to be a testimony in itself. I have been convicted about my tendency to complain (in the name of authenticity, but it's really complaining). This post genuinely glorifies God and I am sure He is pleased with the servant that He has in you!