Beauty & Battles

In the midst of this extravagant October beauty a war was being waged.

I had plenty of opportunity to observe the changing landscape and colours as I drove up and down the hill going to visit cousin John at the hospital and spending time in prayer in that area.

Unfortunately John didn't heed Esther's warnings to get up and move while he was ill so he ended up with double pneumonia.

So he went to the hospital, was admitted and put onto oxygen. 

Which was fine, but I was completely dumbfounded that they didn't put him onto antibiotics immediately.  They waited several days until he was ready to be admitted to ICU and then they started the antibiotics and ended up putting him on a ventilator.

Meanwhile there was much concerted prayer for John and for several others that were fighting similar battles that we heard about .

Sometimes after dropping Esther off to visit John (only one visitor allowed at a time) I would park at the lake and pray or circle the hospital while "I Speak Jesus" was playing loudly in. my car. The doctors were generally not very encouraging concerning John's prognosis, but thankfully we could go to a higher power and ask for miracles and life! 

Which we were doing very earnestly.

Because I was the only other relative in town I was allowed visiting privileges and I would speak to John through a little microphone or read encouraging passages Him.

There was overt anger directed towards those who had chosen not to cooperate with the dictated program. The frustration is understandable on both sides, but there is a problem when we are not allowed to use protocols that have been successful in other places and are forced to use far less expedient and actually unsafe methods.

So with this incredible "movie set" I drove and prayed and cried out to God for mercy in the midst of all the angst and divisiveness. 

Life and death drama played out with this backdrop to soothe and reorient.

"Yea, though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil..."

Grateful to be able to exit the walls of the hospital and drive home.

I know what it's like to be the one on the other side, unable to leave, but always, ultimately at God's mercy.

Cradled in His love.

Kept by His Powerful Name.

Knowing that His ways and thoughts and ways are far above and better than ours.

Anita and Kisa were over for another bonfire and we were contending together as we were getting phone calls for desperate situations. 

This is how the we operate, one body with many members.

When one suffers we all suffer.

All for one and one for all.

Teach us Lord how to pray and how to love well.

To keep our eyes fixed on the giver of life and to always carry and embody hope.