A Little of This, A Little of That

The weekend was difficult, but we seem to be charting calmer waters now. It seems that every time I/we make some spiritual growth, or gain a new understanding of the Word, that within a short time we are encountering new conflicts and difficulties. Saturday morning we met with our pastor friend Ray and had a good time of teaching and praying with him, but he warned me that we would be challenged in the hours and days to come. He was so right. I'm beginning to see the importance of starting my day in the Word and in prayer to better prepare me for difficult moments. Now that I'm not working, that can become part of my daily routine.

Ah, yes, now that I'm not working...

I have begun an indefinite leave of absence from work to stay home and care for Michael. I have great peace about this. Last week and this week my class has been with a good friend and great substitute teacher, and next week my long-term substitute will take over. I have a lot of confidence in both of them, and I know my students will continue to receive a fine education while I'm gone. I am relieved to be able to focus all that I have on Michael's care.

Yesterday, Michael had a catheter inserted in his right lung. During the procedure the doctors drained off another liter of fluid. Aside from some discomfort at the site of the catheter, he is breathing easier and not coughing as much as before. His pain has been well-managed with low doses of oxycodone. The catheter will enable us to drain any more fluid at home instead of making return trips to the hospital.

This morning we had a visit from the intake nurse with hospice. She fully assessed our situation here and ordered up everything we needed. Just a little while ago, a hospital bed and some other items were delivered to the house. Later in the week we will meet the nurse and the home health aide assigned to us.

We spent the afternoon enjoying a visit with a dear friend of Michael's who brought us an incredible dinner (thanks, Eric!), and Michael's Aunt Sally and his mom. Now he's tuckered out and he's napping on the couch next to me. I'm always amazed at his ability to sleep sitting up. I don't know how people do that.

Tomorrow holds a couple more short visits with dear friends. Seems I'm not the only one who finds this guy incredibly lovable!

Here's the devotion from Streams in the Desert that I read this morning that sums up some of the teaching we've been given lately:

God here speaks in the immediate present (referring to Joshua 1:2). It is not something He is going to do, but something He does do, this moment. So faith ever speaks. So God ever gives. So He is meeting you today, in the present moment. This is the test of faith. So long as you are waiting for a thing, hoping for it, looking for it, you are not believing. It may be hope, it may be earnest desire, but it is not faith; for "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The command in regard to believing prayer is the present tense. "When you pray, believe that you receive the things that you desire, and you shall have them." Have we come to that moment? Have we met God in His everlasting NOW?

This is what I'm trying to wrap my head around these days, and I'm trying to lead Michael in this as well. I can see his faith growing. He shared some really sweet things about Jesus with us today. Makes me love him even more.