Thursday, February 07, 2008

Miracles

As the title of my blog hints at, I have the wonderful privilege of seeing God perform miracles EVERYDAY at work. Sometimes they're not as blatant as other times, but they're there just the same. It's all about watching for Him to work with an attitude of faith and expectance.



Well, this week I was given a miracle so special that I wanted to share it with you. This doesn't pertain to one of my current patients, but a former one that I've mentioned previously . . . My Precious Sam. He is unable to eat, so all of his nutrition is given to him through an IV going into one of his biggest veins. Long story short, because of many complications in his short 3 years here on earth, the IV he had was in the last big vein he had available for this type of nutrition. All this to say, if something happened to this IV, he'd no longer be able to receive nutrition and wouldn't be able to live. Well, (as I'm sure you've guessed by now) this special IV came out sometime late Sunday night/Monday morning. Needless to say, all of us who love him so dearly were devastated and began praying (once again) for God to give us a miracle. And . . .



He provided one Tuesday evening!! The doctors were able to find a vein that would work - one that wouldn't work in the past. I truly believe that God opened it up for us that night! One of my medical heroes, Dr. Hermann, took our Sam to the OR that evening to place the special IV in him. I'd fallen asleep Tuesday night begging God for a miracle, and I was woken up with a wonderful phone call later that night from Sam's foster mom saying we have an IV that works AND is free from infection. (The IV that came out earlier this week was infected, but it was still being used and treated constantly with antibiotics since it was the only option.) PRAISE GOD!!!!



As I was just cleaning my apartment, I was listening to my music on juke box setting so it would just shuffle through randomly. A song by Nichole Nordeman called Gratitude was playing when I turned off the water, and it hit me hard. The song is all about having a spirit of gratitude - NO MATTER WHAT. The 1st verse is about praying for rain. But, if God chooses not to let it rain, thank Him for teaching us about thirsting for Him. I started thinking . . . Would I have this attitude of gratefulness if God had not opened up the vein or if the surgeon had not been able to get the IV to work in the vein? Would I be just as grateful if Sam was soon headed to heaven to meet his Father and Maker? I know his life is difficult and riddled with sickness and hospital stays, so would I be happy for him that his misery is over? Or, would I be selfish and angry with God for not letting us keep him here longer?



God often speaks to me through music, and that song was particularly convicting this morning. I know I'd be sad and miss him, but I also hope I'd be happy for him to not have to hurt anymore. I hope I'd be excited for him to get to sit in Jesus' lap and get loved on by our Creator. I hope I'd have an attitude of gratitude to God for teaching me about loving someone unselfishly!



" 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." -Mark 10:14-16


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