Watching our children…

So, you might think this post is about watching our children grow, watching them learn, watching them win at sports, watching them at their first music recital, etc. Well, you would be a bit off the mark. This post is indeed about watching our children but not for the things I already listed. Rather, it’s about watching our children deal with life when life deals them a difficult hand indeed.

Today I stood watch and prayed once again as my son endured yet another surgery. This would be his fourth difficult hip surgery and it follows on an amazing number of ear surgeries from age two upward to age fifteen – one of which lasted five and one-half hours! I’ll have you know he has also endured surgery for sinus problems and he has faced all these events with courage and faith in God to get him through it all. Like most of us, as he ages, he has a deeper and dearer sense of his own mortality and now he has a wife so this makes the situation all the more challenging because of his love for her and his desire to protect and provide for her. He knows that if his physical body were to take a bad turn in surgery, he would awaken with his Savior in Heaven but of course he desires to return to his wife so he can continue to show her love and provide for her.  On top of his difficulties with ears, sinuses and hips, he also endures frequent migraine headaches.  My son has faced all these things with courage, faith and strength and I admire him so very much as a man and as a Christian. He is truly one of the strongest men I know!

This is surely one of the hardest aspects of being a parent; watching our children deal with such severe adversity. Like most parents, I would prefer to undergo these trials myself than to watch or allow my child to go through it and yet of course, life does not offer that solution to us. So, we do what we can to be supportive and loving (as always) and encouraging to our children.

This would probably seem like a fatalistic post were it not for one thing – our dear and loving God who is with us through it all. Through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we have open access to our Heavenly Father who loves us, sees our rough times and assures us of His never-ending love and care and He listens to our prayers. So, it is a great comfort and privilege to be able to lift up our children to our Heavenly Father in love and ask Him to assist in the ways that He finds best. I have done that quite frequently through this day; asking the Lord to watch over Mark and help him to both survive this latest surgery but also to give him a new and improved quality of life after he recovers.

And you know what? God has answered my prayers in SO many ways. First, he provided a doctor who has amazing skills. Years ago, my son would have ended up a cripple instead of a man who will walk again and with much improved comfort. So, I thank God for the birth and education of this amazing man; the doctor who worked so many hours today to restore Mark’s ability to walk by correcting the damaged hip on his right side – just as he did a year ago for the hip on the left side.

Next I thank God for my latest new daughter; the beautiful, sweet and loving bride my son married. She has amazing skill as a nurse and is able to bring her knowledge and abilities to bear in serving Mark during his recovery but in addition, she provides, love and laughter to help him make the most of his recovery psychologically as well. Tonight she watches over him and attends his physical and mental needs with great love.

I can then turn and thank God for my most amazing wife; she is wonderful in ways that would turn my post into a novel were I to list them all. But I will simply mention that she is a tireless mother; she watches over her son pre-op, post-op and every day. She is an amazing woman with strength I admire and need both for myself and for our children. Sheila has stood by my son through every surgery – and there were dozens. She traveled to N.C. with him and stayed with him during his recovery from his two earlier hip surgeries; one recovery period occurred while a hurricane challenged the coastline of N.C. She was unfazed and steadfast and in one situation saved his life by noticing a problem with his recovery overlooked by the staff there that well could have been fatal had she not intervened. So, I am so thankful to God for my wife.

Next I thank the Lord for Mark’s sisters who support him with their love. Yes, one of them addresses him as ‘hey ugly’ but he knows it is a sign of affection and deep love. Both of his sisters have supported him through each event staying by his side in person and when that was not possible, via frequent text and phone calls. So thank you Lord for my daughters who love their brother so dearly.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the church as well. Thank you Lord for brothers and sisters in Christ who come to the hospital and spend hours sitting with us, sharing funny stories and praying with us for Mark. They bring us food and they nourish our souls with their presence. They share an unspoken message that we are not alone during these trials and this happened while Mark was in N.C. having surgeries (with loving support from the church there) and with our local congregation here. I also appreciate the many Christians who have been praying from home, from work, and many other places for Mark throughout the surgery.

I am thankful tonight for the nurses who will tend my son through the night (along with Tyla) and watch his vital signs and take the necessary steps to insure he recovers quickly as well as the PT specialists who will work with him to help him walk again.

Yes, when we watch our children, we could focus upon all the negative things that are happening to them during adversity or we can look to all the ways God sustains us and helps us to make it through these difficult situations…… and we can thank Him – and that’s what I will be doing tonight.

I know Mark has a ways to go yet and I will be praying for his physical, spiritual and emotional  well being along the whole way but how much more bearable it all is if we have God on our sides! May God be with you too as you deal with the trials of life that come your way. If you feel like He isn’t with you, then study His Word (the Bible), find out what Jesus did for you, and put on Christ in the manner prescribed in the scriptures and you too can have the comfort and assurance that God will be with you through it all – and with your family.

May God bless you…. jr