One Day At A Time

Early on in our battle against AML, Ilene's sister Emmalena told us something that we have learned to be true. "Take things one day at a time". One of Troy and Emmalena's daughter's began having seizures over a year ago and they have been looking for solutions since then. They have weeks and sometimes months without a seizure, and then they come back.

Over the last two weeks we have experienced both times of encouragement and of dashed hopes. We see progress in the right direction and then just as we get to the place were we think Josh is healthy enough to go home, the bottom drops out. We initially thought Josh would be released last evening. A Home Heath Care company brought us medications to take home so we could give him IV antibiotics at home, his blood count numbers had improved for 3 days, he was up and around; eating and drinking and feeling good.

And then he started to look tired and pale.

I could see the frustration in his eyes and hear the disappointment in his voice as he told me that he was feeling warm.

After the nurses finished taking his temperature and blood pressure and the doctor came by to check on him, he looked at me and said "sorry I am keeping you up dad". It was after midnight (not that I could sleep anyway).

This morning as I sit and wait on the Lord, knowing that my son needs to be here in the hospital for a while longer, knowing how disappointed my wife is at not being able to go home, I search for answers. We miss Dalhart, our friends, our church family and our puppies. As I began reading through His word looking for encouragement and guidance I was reminded of a song.

The words to the old hymn, "It is Well With My Soul" by Horacio Spafford. came to mind. I had heard that he wrote the song during a time of tragedy in his life, so I did a little research. Look at the link for more details about his life and how God used him.

He was a successful lawyer in the Chicago area and a close friend of D.L. Moody. But his life began to unwind when his 4 year old son died of scarlet fever. A year latter all of his investment properties along the shore of Lake Michigan burned down during the Chicago Fires of 1871. In an attempt to get his wife and 4 daughters away for some rest, they planned a trip to England to help D.L. Moody with an evangelistic campaign.

Before boarding the ship in New York, some urgent business matters came up; not wanting to ruin the holiday he sent his wife and 4 daughter ahead with plans to follow shortly. Nine days latter he received a telegram from his wife stating "Saved alone". The ship they were on had collided with another ship and sank in 12 minutes claiming the lives of 226 people.

Stafford's wife survived but their 4 daughters perished in the sea. Stafford took the next ship to England to be with his wife. As the ship he was on crossed the place in the Pacific Ocean where his daughters had drowned, he penned these words:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

When I read his story (and the book ofJob in the Bible) I have very little to complain about. God is good, and continues to protect and sustain us. Our continued prayer is that our journey would encourage you in your relationship with God. My prayer today comes from Psalms 19:14

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

And our hope is expressed by Psalms 40:1-3:

¹ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
³ He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.

We are confident that as a result of what God is doing in our lives, many will see what God has done and be amazed, then they will put their trust in Him.