Celebrating healing.... and praying for healing!

Yesterday we had one of those wonderful days spending time together as a family.  However, we were missing Doug - my son!  Unfortunately, he is sick with a fever.  He stayed home and rested while the rest of us met at a local water park. For me, water and swimming are closely tied to spending time relaxing with the people I love the most.  (See the previous post on Lake Maud!)  We had the almost ideal day.  It was warm enough without being HOT.  And we had plenty of shade available and to top it all off, the park wasn't very crowded.  With 5 adults and 3 kids there were plenty of hands to help with the little ones.  We all spent some time just riding those tubes in the lazy river.  Then after hours of swimming and time in the sand area and splash park, we knew it was time to head out.  Zeke, our two year old grandson, had not had a nap.  He could barely walk he was so tired.  But before we left, we all gathered together to have a wonderful meal, provided by my daughter-in-law. There were a couple of picnic tables in a grassy area of the parking lot.  So we all sat down to eat together.  I don't know why it is, but any food that is eaten outside always tastes so good!  It was at this point that I think I most missed Doug.  Looking around at everyone eating and laughing together.   Then, just as we were getting ready to leave, my three grandkids went to explore one of the trees.  I took the opportunity to snap some pictures.  Here is Zeke (2) Ellie (4) and Lia (7).

 



 When I downloaded those pictures last night, all I could think about was this picture from the past...

 

This picture is Gwen and Doug from 1985.  Gwen was 6 and Doug was 3.  When I sat and looked at these two pictures, I felt the passage of time.  But more than that, in spite of Doug not being present with us at this event, I remembered Yahweh's blessings over our family that included Doug's health. I realize that there is an irony about Doug being under the weather yesterday, when I am posting about Yahweh's provision of  his health.  But I am truth- telling here.  Doug was a very sick little boy. With very serious kidney and immune system problems that actually began when he was born, there was a point when we were not sure that he would survive.  After many, many days in the hospital, a lot of medicine, surgeries (that included Doug losing a kidney) and seriously too many doctors to count, I know that it was GOD that brought healing to Doug.  There was not a dramatic healing moment, rather there was a gradual return to good health that included medicine.    Part of the frustration about the years of sickness that Doug experienced, was that the doctors never could pinpoint the exact diagnosis.  Nothing exactly fit. But there was a point when Doug was five and half, when we had to make the decision to take him off of the medicine and risk him getting sick again. It was Yahweh that brought us to that point and gave us the peace to follow through with that decision. And Doug never experienced that sickness again. Recently, I happened upon an article about a little girl who had a very similar medical history as Doug.  The article detailed the diagnosis of her disorder.  It is a recently discovered genetic problem (22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome) that grouped together many children who had never had an accurate diagnosis.  Reading that article was an answer to questions that had always been in my mind.  But even if Doug does have that genetic deletion, it simply doesn't change that Yahweh has a plan and purpose for Doug that included his healing.  Thank you Yahweh!

 

I love the way that Jesus reminds us of who He is.  He is our healer, our provision and our peace.  I especially love that when we gather around a table and eat together, we can remember that we are a part of Yahweh's family. 

 

Yahweh, thank you for family time, for laughter, and swimming and hugs.  Thank you for your provision of good food and fun.  Jesus, you are an amazing God that loves us with an unending love.  Thank you for providing answers to long ago questions and then giving the peace to know that the answer doesn't matter.   Especially, thank you for your healing both in the past and today. Yahweh, bring your healing power to Doug right now!    Amen