Six Years Later and Still Safe
I was on facebook yesterday and one of my memories was that I blogged this post called "One Year Later and Still Safe" in 2011. It marked one year since Micah's lung surgery.
(This is my favorite picture from that post. It was taken the night before Micah's surgery. They were so relaxed. It was a blessing for us in the face of the unknown. Just look at that little Micah and sweet Josiah. So melty It's fun to compare this picture with the Micah and Josiah in the side bar. They have grown so much! (: )
Post Edit: I just re-read my post. Often I find mistakes when I look with fresh eyes after I post something. (: As I was looking at this picture again, I was thinking about how old these boys were here. Micah had just turned 8 and Josiah was just turning 4 in the next month. That means that Natalie was Grace's age and was just going to turn 6 and Josh was almost 12, which is how old Natalie is now. It sure gives me perspective and makes me think. Josh had such big shoulders for being 11. Little Natalie was so hurt by Micah's sickness, but on the verge of being too little to grasp even a little bit of it. The conversations that I had with Micah are almost unthinkable to me today. They were special and heart breaking all at the same time. Looking back, I see the beauty of His faithfulness and the amazing strength and grace that He gave our kids during that time.
I completely forgot that today is the 6th anniversary of Micah's lung surgery. It was the day that the Lord healed our boy. We were expecting a little Grace within a few months.Six years later, it feels like that time is from a different life. I like to share these days with you because so many of you walked it with us. It wasn't a casual walk. You invested yourselves in us in many ways and we will never forget. You are part of our story.
I don't find myself looking back as much I used to. But just yesterday, Ken and I were talking about our baby and were remembering when we were expecting Grace any day in June of 2010. It was the hardest time of our lives. Her birth was so bitter sweet. We were wondering what the Lord had planned for Micah, while anticipating new life. Now here we sit expecting another little love any day. Ken is finishing up seminary. Josh is graduating high school and Micah is finishing up grade 8. Time is passing on and I thank the Lord for His continued mercy and grace and for the growing and the molding that He has done and continues to do in us through the experiences that He brings us.
Life is rarely simple and straight. But as we navigate through the twists and turns, it's a beautiful thing to know that our winding road is the Lord's straight path for us. (Someone said that to me a few months ago and that sentence was a perspective changer for me. Thankful.) The twists and turns also keep us humble and more dependent on the Lord.
Just in case you don't read the post that I linked above, this is my favorite part of it.....It's beautiful and can also be a perspective changer.
Safe by Paul David Tripp
For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble. Psalm 27:5
I am safe,
not because I have no
trouble,
or because I never experience
danger.
I am safe,
not because people affirm
me,
or my plans always
work out.
I am safe,
not because I am immune from
disease,
or free of the potential for
poverty.
I am safe,
not because I am protected from
disappointment
or separated from this
fallen world.
I am safe,
not because I am
wise
or strong.
I am safe,
not because I deserve
comfort or have earned my
ease.
I am safe,
not because of
money
or power,
or position,
or intellect,
or who I know,
or where I live.
I am safe because of the glorious mystery of
grace.
I am safe because of the presence of
boundless love.
I am safe because of
divine mercy,
divine wisdom,
divine power,
and divine grace.
I am safe,
not because I never face danger,
but because You are
with me in it.
You have not given me
a ticket out of danger.
You have not promised me
a life of ease.
You have chosen to place me in
a fallen world.
I am safe,
because You have given me
the one thing
that is the
only thing
that will ever keep me safe.
You have given me
You.
I am safe
from my evil heart
and this shattered world,
not because I can escape
them both,
but because in the middle of
temptation and trial,
danger and disappointment,
sickness and want,
You give me everything
I need to
fight temptation
and avoid defeat
and to point others
to the safety
that can be found only
in You.
So I will wake up tomorrow
and face the anxiety
of not knowing
the fear of own my weakness
and the reality of the fall.
I will live with
faith,
courage,
perseverance,
and hope.
When danger comes,
and it will,
I will whisper to
my weakening heart,
"Emmanuel is your shelter;
you are safe."
(This is my favorite picture from that post. It was taken the night before Micah's surgery. They were so relaxed. It was a blessing for us in the face of the unknown. Just look at that little Micah and sweet Josiah. So melty It's fun to compare this picture with the Micah and Josiah in the side bar. They have grown so much! (: )
Post Edit: I just re-read my post. Often I find mistakes when I look with fresh eyes after I post something. (: As I was looking at this picture again, I was thinking about how old these boys were here. Micah had just turned 8 and Josiah was just turning 4 in the next month. That means that Natalie was Grace's age and was just going to turn 6 and Josh was almost 12, which is how old Natalie is now. It sure gives me perspective and makes me think. Josh had such big shoulders for being 11. Little Natalie was so hurt by Micah's sickness, but on the verge of being too little to grasp even a little bit of it. The conversations that I had with Micah are almost unthinkable to me today. They were special and heart breaking all at the same time. Looking back, I see the beauty of His faithfulness and the amazing strength and grace that He gave our kids during that time.
I completely forgot that today is the 6th anniversary of Micah's lung surgery. It was the day that the Lord healed our boy. We were expecting a little Grace within a few months.Six years later, it feels like that time is from a different life. I like to share these days with you because so many of you walked it with us. It wasn't a casual walk. You invested yourselves in us in many ways and we will never forget. You are part of our story.
I don't find myself looking back as much I used to. But just yesterday, Ken and I were talking about our baby and were remembering when we were expecting Grace any day in June of 2010. It was the hardest time of our lives. Her birth was so bitter sweet. We were wondering what the Lord had planned for Micah, while anticipating new life. Now here we sit expecting another little love any day. Ken is finishing up seminary. Josh is graduating high school and Micah is finishing up grade 8. Time is passing on and I thank the Lord for His continued mercy and grace and for the growing and the molding that He has done and continues to do in us through the experiences that He brings us.
Life is rarely simple and straight. But as we navigate through the twists and turns, it's a beautiful thing to know that our winding road is the Lord's straight path for us. (Someone said that to me a few months ago and that sentence was a perspective changer for me. Thankful.) The twists and turns also keep us humble and more dependent on the Lord.
Just in case you don't read the post that I linked above, this is my favorite part of it.....It's beautiful and can also be a perspective changer.
Safe by Paul David Tripp
For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble. Psalm 27:5
I am safe,
not because I have no
trouble,
or because I never experience
danger.
I am safe,
not because people affirm
me,
or my plans always
work out.
I am safe,
not because I am immune from
disease,
or free of the potential for
poverty.
I am safe,
not because I am protected from
disappointment
or separated from this
fallen world.
I am safe,
not because I am
wise
or strong.
I am safe,
not because I deserve
comfort or have earned my
ease.
I am safe,
not because of
money
or power,
or position,
or intellect,
or who I know,
or where I live.
I am safe because of the glorious mystery of
grace.
I am safe because of the presence of
boundless love.
I am safe because of
divine mercy,
divine wisdom,
divine power,
and divine grace.
I am safe,
not because I never face danger,
but because You are
with me in it.
You have not given me
a ticket out of danger.
You have not promised me
a life of ease.
You have chosen to place me in
a fallen world.
I am safe,
because You have given me
the one thing
that is the
only thing
that will ever keep me safe.
You have given me
You.
I am safe
from my evil heart
and this shattered world,
not because I can escape
them both,
but because in the middle of
temptation and trial,
danger and disappointment,
sickness and want,
You give me everything
I need to
fight temptation
and avoid defeat
and to point others
to the safety
that can be found only
in You.
So I will wake up tomorrow
and face the anxiety
of not knowing
the fear of own my weakness
and the reality of the fall.
I will live with
faith,
courage,
perseverance,
and hope.
When danger comes,
and it will,
I will whisper to
my weakening heart,
"Emmanuel is your shelter;
you are safe."
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