This blog I said would be about kids. Today it is about my kids and a sad/happy time they are going through. Life isn't all fun and games, sometimes kids face not cool stuff but it helps to shape them. How we lead them through these times will determine how they will react when they get older I believe.
Tomorrow we will celebrate the life of a man who recently lost his battle with cancer. It was a quick devastating battle lasting only a few short months. How do you go from not being sick to being given 6 months to a year and barely making it 6 months? I just don't understand why some things happen. It isn't for me to understand I guess only to trust that it is all part of God's plan. How many people's lives were touched by this man? Many I'm sure. He was eccentric in my eyes, a different kind of guy. However, every day from the moment he received his diagnosis and prognosis he claimed healing. He wasn't healed here on Earth but today he is whole again without pain and suffering.
My kids without fail prayed for Mr. Doc every night. Zach probably doesn't understand but Shane does. In fact cancer is something we have talked a lot to him about. Two years ago our pastor's wife lost her battle with cancer. Did he fully understand then? I don't think so but we prayed for her nightly with him. Last year during the month of October some of the football teams were sporting their pink in support of Breast cancer awareness, he started asking questions. Then earlier this year daddy got really sick and had an iv in his arm for 2 weeks to receive daily IV antibiotics. He expressed such concern to his teacher. He thought daddy had cancer and was going to die. Too much for such a little guy. I talked to several people about how to deal with him (friends, doctors, teachers, pastors). Explain it on his level they all suggested but don't sugar coat it. That is what we did. He is so sensitive to it.
The day we found out about Mr. Doc's passing I knew I had to tell him. I had to tell him now our prayers need to change. We no longer need to pray for Mr. Doc but his family. He cried a lot, sad for my Doc. I used it as a time to talk about Heaven and how great it is up there. I explained to him Mr. Doc was suffering so much here, he couldn't walk or play guitar anymore. None of the stuff he liked to do, and he was hurting all the time. In heaven he is with Jesus, not hurting and not sad.
What I find sad is that my kids have been to more memorial services/funerals than they are old combined. Why take them? Why subject my kids to that? On most occasions we have done it for finality to them. yes, I realize they are young but it is what we think is for the best.
We have a friend currently in the fight of her life, battling cancer. We are praying and believing for a full healing. Her kids are the ages of my kids approximately. It is so hard for me to watch. A wake up call really, life is so short. Like with Mr. Doc, my kids faithfully remember to pray for Ms. Robin every night. I was worried after hearing about Mr. Doc Shane might think that prayers don't work. If we are honest with ourselves I'm sure we have all thought that about something one time or another, why did God let that happen? Why didn't he hear my prayers?
The fact of the matter is God always hears our prayers. And...he always answers them. Does he answer them the way we want? No! He answers according to his will. Sometimes his answer is yes, providing healing or whatever you've asked for, sometimes the answer is wait, and sometimes the answer is no.
I believe that is both these battles lost with cancer in Mr. Doc and Ms. Linda's situation God was still glorified. His name was proclaimed over and over. They lived lives of godliness despite their circumstances and I believe others were witnesses to God's love and power through them both.
I believe that Ms. Robin's life is also an amazing testimony to God's power. Her strength and peace I believe can only come from God. She is amazing to me.
As for Shane doubting prayer and its power, he has not wavered. He still believes God is able to heal Ms. Robin. (I'm not doubting it either, I believe he will do it). He believes God hears and answers our prayers, (looks like I way underestimated my little man, I should have known he was strong enough to not be swayed by what looked like an unanswered prayer).
Tomorrow Shane and Zach will attend the service with us as Mr. Doc is celebrated and God is lifted up. Tomorrow I expect to hear people speak of how this man touched their lives and how God was seen in him. It reminds me to live my life so that people will see God in me? When I'm gone, what will people say about me? Will they speak of God's love? What about you? What will people say about you?
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