5 Years

I remember standing inside Micah's hospital room five years ago listening to the surgeon talk to the residents outside our door. I was just going out to get some water and I stopped to listened. He was giving Micah's history. It was a little fuzzy because the sound was coming through the door. But one of the residence must have asked, "What will happen next?" or "What are Micah's chances?" I heard Dr Merritt say, "I don't know. I did my best and we will see what happens."

Those words come back to me often when I think of where we are today. Dr Merritt didn't know, but the Lord sure did and He had something beautiful in mind for our boy and family. God has given Micah 5 very healthy years.

We could have never even imagined this 5 years ago. It was one of the hardest days of our lives. We didn't know if Micah would come out of surgery whole. Surgery took 2 hours longer than was originally thought. His breathing was incredibly rough and his pain was unbearable for the first 2 days. It was so difficult wondering if we had made the wrong decision. We were hesitant to even hope for 3 months without cancer. Look what the Lord has done! It's incredibly beautiful. We pray that God will continue to use this story for His glory in our lives and others. The road we walked has been used to bless us richly. I can't really find the words to explain how it changed us or the intensity of the gratitude we feel for that change and for Micah's life. Simply, God is so kind, gracious and merciful.

I think I shared this Psalm last year at this time. I tried other verses for this post. I tried to pull out a few verses of this Psalm. But it's still my favorite as a whole and I keep coming back to it. So I will give in and share again! (I like to read it out loud. It's glorious.)

Please thank and praise the Lord with us today for the beautiful gift we have been given.

Psalm 103 (ESV)

 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
    his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
 He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
    he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
    he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
    and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
    and his righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep his covenant
    and remember to do his commandments.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
    and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
    you mighty ones who do his word,
    obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
    his ministers, who do his will!
 Bless the Lord, all his works,
    in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!