I don't know why it has been this way, but here's some of what has been happening in the last two weeks ...
I already wrote about the sadness of Mark's death.
In the midst of that, the brother of a close friend was also hospitalized. They ended up determining the current problem is an unusual strand of meningitis. He had started responding to that, only to have a rather major seizure and setback. Sadly, this is just "one more thing" on top of many and without a miracle he likely does not have much longer here on this earth. He is in his mid- to late-30s.
While I was dealing with those, a close friend of mine in Florida got pulled into a very sad situation. An older man (the father-in-law of one of her sister-in-laws - did you follow that?) passed away at home. With no signed DNR order, the EMTs are required to try to revive - even though he had been dead for some period of time when they got there. They wisk him off to ER, working on him all the way. In ER the doctors continue working on him. After 52 minutes (plus however long before they arrived), they managed to bring him back. Only so he could then die a second, slow, very unpleasant death that his loved ones had to watch him struggle through. SOMEONE needs to take on the job of lobbying to get that law that requires that the medical responders do that repealed - or amended to allow the loved ones around to have some say in how their deceased loved one is treated!
Back in Kansas, on Monday one of my work colleagues emailed us that he had a bad bronchial issue and was staying home. He stayed out Tuesday as well. Tuesday afternoon, his wife called our boss to let him know that Dean had been hospitalized. He had been having TIAs. Later that day, he had a full stroke. FORTUNATELY (and he & his wife give the glory to God), he has virtually no residual damage. But he does have one completely blocked artery in the left side of his neck.
Then Tuesday evening I learned that another friend had lost her mother that day. She was 85, a strong believer, and ready to go "home." Nonetheless, as a loving mother of seven and grandmother, she has left a void that is being felt.
I'm ready to start getting some GOOD news from someone ...
So if you have some, let me know!
Flourishing Like a Palm Tree
8 years ago
2 comments:
Laurie, what do we make out of all this loss of life around us?
I have been pondering that same question.
Two other people (at work) asked me essentially the same question today.
And my stories just get worse.
• Dean had a 2nd massive stroke the night they sent him home from the hospital. He is still in NCCU.
• Joyce’s brother is still up and down. They said yesterday to expect at least 2 more weeks before he is over the meningitis. Of course, that’s just part of the problem. Without a miracle, he does not have much longer.
• Today I learned of two more situations with either someone from work or their relatives.
• I was on the phone tonight talking with my friend in Atlanta whose son is still in the comma – that will be 2 years this summer.
• I guess I could add that I just learned yesterday that my cousin’s father-in-law passed away the first week of April. At least that one was expected.
ENOUGH!
The only thing that I can make of it is that we are all pressing in to see the miraculous. It’s like the enemy is trying to taunt us, getting “in our face” to tell us it doesn’t work. We know it does – whether or not we are (yet) seeing it!
I keep remembering John Wimber talking about how many people he prayed with for healing before he ever saw the first one healed. He had become convinced of the truth about healing from scripture and would not stop praying, in spite of the seeming lack of results. Of course, that eventually changed and he was used mightily both in praying for healing and in teaching others to do the same.
So … to my way of thinking … the only thing that will keep me from eventually seeing “the working of miracles” operating through me is quitting.
Post a Comment