It was never mine to begin with. This life I live was never all mine. I gave it to Christ a long time ago. I told him to use me, use my kids, my life, use whatever he needed. I've prayed prayers asking God to use me in bigger ways than inside the walls of my house. And, remember the song I sang asking for the Holy Spirit to lead me where my trust is without those same borders? Well, here I am. Living a new life, new borders, new people who I would have never encountered in my old way of living. I guess I forgot to add the criteria to my prayers of no sickness, no pain, no hardship. But then, this life was never mine to make demands upon to begin with, was it? Giving God control even in special needs, even in sickness; I didn't know he was going to ask me to give it all away. (Next time maybe I'll ask how God can best use me in the shoe department of Nordstrom?)
An old childhood friend visited us at the hospital. Old friends can be the best, can't they? They know all the stuff. The good, the bad, the ugly. If they still show up when the going gets tough, that's a friend. But, a friend who shares Jesus with you? Keep those. This friend shared his devotion on St. Macarius the Great of Egypt. I've never been familiar with the saints and this story drew me in. The story of Macarius was that he found thieves taking all he had and loading it all on their camel. But, Macarius didn't do what most of us would do in this situation; fight for our stuff. He did the very opposite. He helped them load all of his possessions on the camel. He even went back in and gave them something they missed. Then pushed the camel away himself. In the end, the camel wouldn't leave Macarius until all of what was stolen from him was taken off and given back to him. The thieves left empty-handed.
Give it away. I've heard that before. But not like this. When the thief comes? Keep on giving?
This disease that's now in control here; it's taken my son. This disease has not just taken my boy, but it has taken so much more than we ever expected.
It's stolen our time for anything, our family cohesiveness, church attendance, ability to parent without many opinions. The thing that hurts so much is it has yanked the joy right out from under me. The laughter is gone. Truth is, I just don't care what else this disease takes anymore. It can have it. Just give me back my boy.
But I'm not sure my current dumping is the way Jesus intended us to give it all away when he was approached by the rich man. His way is something more willing. When the rich man asked what he needed to give up to get into Heaven Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself and sell everything. Then follow him. Follow Jesus. (Matthew 19:16-26)
Give it away. And somehow I don't think Jesus was talking about just the stuff. What else have I been holding on to? My way of life? My comfort? My routine? That routine has been King for a long time here. Routine just got dethroned.
There's another story in Genesis (Gen.22) about a man having to give up his son. It's a dark story that we parents don't like to look too long upon. Ask me anything, God. But, please don't ask me to give up my babies, whatever their age. What I try to see in that story, more than the near death scene, is God providing. God providing a way in the darkness. He asks a father to give it all up, only to show him he had the answer waiting at the end of the story all along.
I guess this disease can have my stuff, my old way of living, all I've ever known. Even that blasted routine. You can take it or I may even start helping you load it on your camel, Disease.
