It's not what I asked for....but I'll take it


These past couple of months have been difficult for my immediate family, and my son in particular. Without going into details, he has been dealing with a health issue that sort of crept in slowly and then, suddenly, in mid January it came on with a vengeance.  It is always a scary time when your child has a debilitating illness, no matter how short or long lasting.  It is also very unsettling when you realize there is very little you can do to make them better.  Only time and medication can take care of some illnesses.  No amount of mom's TLC will make this better.  Only time and medication.
Oh, and PRAYER.  Oh, and SCRIPTURE.  They may not always cure the illness, but they really do something to the soul that is very very good.  In the meantime, February rolled around and we found ourselves in the midst of two important Biblical celebrations  Only later would I begin to see how these two celebrations could have so much meaning to the circumstances my family was now dealing with.
The month of February found us doing our own version of Mardi Gras--the celebration that takes place the day before the Lenten season begins.   It is always a fun time to make the kings cake and try to guess who will find the baby Jesus in their piece of cake.
                                                 

                                               
Not long after was the celebration know as Purim, which is a festival that remembers God's faithfulness to the Jews and Queen Esther.  My daughter Emily loves the story of Esther and so we spent the day watching "One Night with the King" and then making traditional Purim treats known as hamanstachen.  (They were delicious!) That story never gets old.!



As I began to sit and think over both of these events, I realized a truth that we all must deal with at
sometime in our lives:

                                     

   While Purim and Mardi Gras are both celebrations, they mark events that are filled with great fear and suffering.  Esther and Jews prayed and fasted for three days to prepare for the time when Esther would approach the king.  She was overcome with fear because the King could have killed her on the spot for coming to him without being summoned--that was the law.  The Jews knew that without Esther's step of faith---and God's favor over them--they would be destroyed.   Both Esther and her fellow Jews trusted God to do the best for them....but wondered how much they would suffer in the process.
   Like wise, Mardi Gras  prepares the way for Lent,  a 40 day time period before Easter Sunday during  which  Christians often fast or in some other way deny themselves as a way to demonstrate a desire to participate in the sufferings of Christ.   Yes, what a difficult thing for us to comprehend:  in order for the Resurrection to happen--ensuring us victory over death- the suffering on the Cross had to first take place.   
   I have had a lot of time to think about the circumstances that have surrounded my son--and my family-over these past two months.  When I pray for God's will to be done...will I accept it when there is pain involved?  Will I give thanks when I am completely overwhelmed with my circumstances?  Will I allow my fear to be so great that I miss seeing the work that God is doing in my life?  
   For now, I am  thankful that we do not walk alone through our trials. And I look ahead, anticipating how the Lord will use this time in our lives as a testimony to His faithfulness in all situations.    
                       I will lift up my eyes to the hills--From whence comes my help?
                       My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth       
                                                         Ps 121:1-2
                   

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