Tearful Reunions

After a long bitter afternoon of getting transferred to Burlington, the day definitely had a sweet ending. After 3 days of separation, momma and child were reunited. They are now only a floor apart and they will be setup for regular visits.

Here is my verse for today,

Ps. 34:^{10 "}The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing."

The first time I read this days ago, I wondered what the Lord would have for me in this to teach me. Well, I think this morning I learned. As I type this, I am sitting with my morning coffee and Word feast and I am overhearing conversation from a couple other Ronald McD house residents. Everyone one that stays here have equally horrible scenarios going on with loved ones. As I listened (it was hard not to, as they were quite loud) what I noticed was what I heard in their voice: anger, bitterness, despair... These are just some of the emotional responses that come from facing tragedy. I know because I have been there, and frankly, as I have faced this weekend, I have very much been tempted to go down the path of these "young lions." (although they were actually older young lionesses)

But I am reminded, as I sought the Lord's face, that He is the source of hope and strength for me. As a result, I have lacked no good thing. Please do not think I am all that and a bag of chips, because I have seen and been to the scary places that even Christians can go to when they take their eyes off the Lord and on to the circumstances. That is my flesh. So, I must choose to seek the Lord in the midst of trials.

Through years of very hard tests, I have found that when I seek Him, He is faithful and is there with me, even when the trial is not taken away nor lessened. It is His faithfulness in the past that reminds me that He will be faithful in this one, even when the end is not in sight. Those hard times in the past are mile markers for the new ones we come upon.

The height of the deliverance this passage talks about is different than just God making the bad things go away. It is found in the nearness of God in Christ as I face these hard times. I cannot imagine being in the shoes of those "old-young lions" facing what I am without Christ.

As of last night, Timothy continues to improve. I look forward to seeing him moved out of ICU in the near future. Jill was worn out from a rough afternoon, but initial tests have shown no serious growths of this infections. Continue to pray that God heals her body of this nasty germ. It can really wreak havoc and cause damage, but so far, the antibiotics seem to be holding it at bay. We will know more later. I am going to try to get the girls up here to see momma and brother this afternoon. Pray that this will happen, I know it will be good for all of us.

Thank you for your prayers.