In Adversity and in Ease of Way.......

Yesterday was a day that could have changed the course of our lives.....but it didn't.  It didn't.

The enemy tried to seed my mind with fear while we waited for the test results, and my thoughts went the route of anticipating the "worst," though I battled against it.  I had done really well until the day before when I got a call from the doctor's office saying he wanted to schedule me to go over the imaging.  I'd already been scheduled, so it kind of threw me.  You know how the mind can take off and go bad places.

But the sonograms showed nothing at all of concern.  Nothing.  The abdominal "mass" wasn't there on the imaging.  The doctor thinks maybe he felt a muscle in an unusual position.  There is nothing kidney-wise that would indicate cause of back pain, either.  Nothing at all.

So, we are grateful.  So very grateful.  Still no answers about my back pain, but that's better than what it could have been.

In the midst of our own blessing, yesterday held a lot of challenges for others we love.  My aunt called to tell me my uncle is in the hospital, having had a seizure.  He has Alzheimer's, and is failing.  It is so hard to watch from a distance.  And a well-loved lady in our community had surgery for ovarian cancer.  There is just so much heartache here on earth.

But, in the midst, He is teaching us that He is the Author and Finisher of our faith and our story.  He is still writing, and has not lost the plot line.

My dear daughter Jessie, also in the midst of the "hard" of life, wrote this poem yesterday and shared it with me.  She has been given such a gift.  I wept as I read.

Dear Father, sore disgruntled do I find

My heart, my mind, my spirit on this day

Upon which overt cloud does ne'ry wind

Blow over the bright sun to cause this grey.

Oh Father, 'tis but life on earth below--

That footstool in the space before Thy throne--

Which agitates and wounds me even so,

With forked tongue asserting I'm alone.

We walk in pain, we rail, we even die;

We fail, we lose our way, become undone;

We founder, yea, and ask the reason why--

Full-knowing it's because we're Adam's Son.

"Sweet child," You say when finally I pause,

"Does't thou forget there is another truth--

The Dayspring Who has taken up the cause

Of Adam's race and spent on it His Youth,

His sole ambition, power, and His life?

These darkened days prolong for purpose one:

To make of thee a strong and noble wife

Fit finally to be wedded with My son."

In silence then I sit with hand on mouth

Like Job before the whirlwind as of old

Lest there escape my lips a word uncouth

To contradict this myst'ry I've been told.

Let, then, this timely chiding be our bliss:

We are but players half-way through our play.

So gird we up like men our loins with this:

Our faith is pledged unto a brighter day.

Copyright © 2016 Jessie Erickson

Amen.  And amen.

Thank you so much for praying with us.  I say it again and again, and I mean it more every time.

Imaging this week....

For you formed my inward parts,

You wove me in my mother's womb.

Psalm 139:13

Not only did He form my inward parts, He can see them when the rest of us can't!

I was able to visit my new primary care provider at the end of December and he has ordered some imaging which will be happening this Wednesday.

He doesn't think there's anything going on structurally with my back, and because of that he couldn't order imaging for my back, but he found an abnormality in my gut that he wants to explore, and also to re-check some pelvic stuff.  So in the end, the same things will be accomplished.

We'd appreciate prayer that if there's anything to be discovered, it will be clear and plain as to what is going on.

Thanks so much for your prayers!