We had an amazing weekend camping with our friends and co-leaders from small group, the Bergs. They brought swords for all the kids and we had knights and princesses slaying dragons, storming gates, and defeating giants throughout the campsite all weekend long.
In the early morning hours Saturday, the campground was hit with a storm of amazing proportions. We were awakened by the crack of a tree getting hit by lightening somewhere near by, and huddled in fear and awe as electricity arced over our tent ceiling and we were showered with sparks. Later, when Katy and I left the relative safety of the tent to use the bathroom, we found that our tent was surrounded by a 3-5" lake of water and a swarm of toads fleeing the monsoon-induced flooding. Aaron commented that it seemed almost Biblical, this storm we were riding out in a flimsy nylon boat.
We survived the night. We woke in the morning and heard the news that a truck a mere 50 feet from our bed had been struck and completely destroyed by the lightening bolt. We toured the paths around our two campsites, and found that the bolt had first hit a tree about 30 feet from the Thul tent, then traveled through the root systems, exploding and burning the roots and leaving eruptions in the earth like an earthquake. We had felt the static electricity, and it did seem to cause me some trouble with my pacemaker and Amelia a day of clustered seizures. The neurologist confirmed that abnormal exposure to electricity can briefly worsen seizure disorders. Luckily, the electrical system of my pacemaker seems to be functioning fine.
We had planned to borrow a metal pop-up camper from a friend, but plans fell through at the last minute. I wonder now if we would have been hit if we had been connected to the ground with a large metal jackstand.
Despite the odds of being struck, we were. The fingers of electricity traveled beyond the Berg's tent, between our tents, and beyond our tent. Three fingers, like claws in a desperate attempt to grasp us. Defeated - the fingers spread out and our tents slipping through. Despite the odds of surviving a direct hit, we did.
With every passing day, this string of trials seems all the more absurd and indescribable, even to those of us going through them. Aaron and I agreed, in the dark of night last night, as we reflected on this weekend: we are glad the Bergs can corroborate our story. It doesn't seem believable. Who goes through what we've been through, and then gets struck by lightening? What is it we are up to...as a church, even as a family...that garners such an uninterrupted and focused attack that comes at us from all angles? Is there something about our mission, the church plant we've recently taken part in as a church, what we're teaching these children, that doesn't sit well with evil?
As we come out of an amazing and refreshing weekend, we are hit again with more trials and more blessings at home. My pacemaker incision is infected, and I spent the evening in the ER getting a big dose of IV antibiotics. Now I am on an oral antibiotic and need to go to the cardiologist again tomorrow to have the incision looked at. More appointments sucking up time. Amelia's seizures are still clustering after the lightening strike over the weekend. Would you pray healing for us? Would you keep both her and I lifted up in prayer? I am faced with surgical revision of my pacemaker pocket, living without the pacemaker for a few weeks while I receive antibacterial treatments deep within to treat the pocket in my chest. In addition, I am at risk for an infection of my heart muscle. Amelia broke both of her cheekbones in her fall last week, and will need surgery on her nose if she suffers another injury to it. We need protection. We need Jesus.
This morning, Caleb accepted Christ - at least, we think he did. When one of our babes does this so early, we watch for months, not sure whether to believe their belief or not. So far, not one of the children has surprised us, though. Katy got saved at almost four; Rosy at three; and Amy and Caleb both at around 2 1/2. Time will tell. I praise God for Caleb's sweet words in prayer this morning. "Dear Lord, thank you for this day. I sorry I do bad things. Tank you for sending Jesus to pay for my bad things. Tank you for saving me from my bad things. I want you save me, Jesus."
You calm the storms at night
You turn the dark to light
You're everything and that
is who You are
My savior
my healer
redeemer
that is who You are
creator
my maker
my father
that is who You are
You turn the dark to light
You're everything and that
is who You are
My savior
my healer
redeemer
that is who You are
creator
my maker
my father
that is who You are
2 comments:
It's all true!!! Crazy, eerie, amazingly true. Arcing lightning, floods, flying dirt. The best is that we prayed, hard - as hard as the rain and lightning came - and God protected. We came out with an almost unbelivable story - for all intents unscathed.
I almost never experience insomnia. I dropped into bed around 2ish after late night preparations for a baby shower at my house the next day. As I lay abed, surprisingly not falling asleep within 1 minute as I usually do, I was troubled with some odd light patterns. I thought someone was in the yard with a big flashlight, checking out our property. I put on my glasses and got up to check. Nope, it was God! I was so amazed by the light show that I woke Jay up and we enjoyed it. He fell back asleep immediately. I lay awake and was deeply, mother-soul troubled for my dear ones in this amazing storm in their tent. I realized I could do NOTHING at all, weak, earthly parent that I am. BUT I knew Someone who could affect the situation, so I lay there and prayed and feel asleep sweetly confident in having done the asking, and that He would do the Doing. And, yes, He could have chosen a different outcome. My business is to NOT worry, to choose faith and obedience in prayer. His job is the sovereign direction of our lives. Praise God. And I AM thankful that this time He said, 'Yes, Debra.'
I love telling my grandchildren that God always answers prayers - yes, no, maybe or wait. What peace.
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