"Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory."
~Eph 3:13~
This verse has held special meaning thru the many twists & turns of my life's journey over the last 3 years. But today, I think of Dylan.
On Thursday last week, our camp group visited a group of medical apartments on the 7th floor called "The Neighborhood". Patients & families who live more than 60 miles away from can rent these apartments to be close to the hospital. Each apartment has a kitchenette, couch, bath, & 1-2 beds. There is a common room on the floor (like a den) & kitchen they can also use. They have access to stocked food & linen pantries, pot& pans, etc. If they cannot afford the rent, area churches sponsor each room.
Many there are waiting for heart & lung transplants. A few have cancer. One 31 year old (mother with small children) caught her skirt on fire at a camp site & was severely burned. Another couple gave birth to triplets prematurely May 29- the first little boy & girl passed away earlier this summer, & the last little boy is finally gaining some weight, getting stronger.
It was a very emotional mission site for many in my camp group. One teenager in our group was Logan. She is a leukemia survivor. I watched her get down on her face in the doorway of a cancer patient, praying for their healing. It was a personal visit for me too, remembering our time spent in medical apartments with Blake in 2008 having open heart surgery at age 16. And also with Wade, my first son, who died in surgery with a heart transplant.
I rejoiced meeting one family as they were checking out. He had a heart transplant 6 weeks ago, all rejection tests were negative, & he was heading home! I was overwhelmed with joy at the prayers answered for this man, the miracle healing we are all witnesses to! . . . Yet I grieved for the many, like my Wade, that will never go home again.
Dylan is 21 & waiting on a heart transplant. Last week when we were there, doctors expected he could only survive 2 more weeks without a donor organ. And today, another week of his life has passed by. I wonder what life looks like thru his eyes? I wonder what changes we would make if we knew this was our last week to live?
I heard this phrase on a movie last night: "Life is a wonderful terrible thing, & none of us make it out alive"
This life is temporary, whether long or short, healthy or sick, ended by death or by Christ's return- it is temporary. . . .are we investing in what's eternal? Are we focused on the things that realy matter with what ever time we have?
As the song says: " While I'm waiting, I will worship. While I'm waiting serve Him".
"There is something about having endured great loss that brings purity of purpose & strength of character" (Barbara Johnson)
