Walking Through the Challenges

Yesterday was a day off for NSMS (our school) and so we played board games, listened to Adventures in Odyssey on cassette, heard the rain patter outside, and reveled in a day of rest.  We so needed it; much this week has been challenging.  As a matter of fact, Doug and I both, at different times, wanted to hop a plane to come home.

We felt the avalanche of burdens descend one by one--a severe burn, disagreements between community members, discipline issues with our kids, very tough school decisions, lack of sleep for nights on end, a sick child, friends being forced to leave the country, and a dog bite.  The gory details are really not that important.  You're well aware that sometimes it's not the elements on the list as much as it's the timing of them all coming to you at once.  Each of these is hard; taken together they are overwhelming.

Well, as these things were pressing upon us and making us sick to our stomachs, we so badly wanted to run away--to take our toys and go home. In addition, we wanted to spew our anger, frustration, sadness, confusion on anyone who would listen or on anyone who we felt deserved the brunt of our emotions. Yet, we knew that that would not be the right response.  Easiest response, but not the right response.  The right response would be much, much harder and demand a greater dependence upon the Lord.

Let me delve for just a moment into the details of one of the items on our list:  the dog bite.  One night we had a friend of Sethy's over for dinner.  At the conclusion of the meal, Doug walked this boy home and on his way back was bitten by a dog that came out of nowhere to latch onto his leg through pants and socks.  Surprised by the unsolicited attack, he reached down toward the dog and before he knew it, the dog ran off and into a gated courtyard.  Doug came home and was obviously shaken.  Rabies, of course is the first thought that ran through his mind.  So, he and I walked right back to that courtyard a few blocks away to meet with the owner who allowed this attack to happen.  On the way we prayed and asked the Lord for favor, protection, and wisdom. 

Well, when we arrived we saw the owner leaning on the entrance to her courtyard.  We asked her about having a dog and told her the story of what had just minutes before taken place.  She was very apologetic, assured us that her dog was up to date on her shots, and that she knew our neighbor, the doctor across the street, very well.  When we asked her for her name she gladly volunteered it, apologized that she didn't know where the confirming paperwork on the vaccinations were, and that the lighting was too poor to show us her dog. 

Armed with this information we went to our doctor neighbor's house and gave him the run down of what had transpired.  He assured us that no concern was needed about rabies--it has not been an issue in several years, and he could attest not only to the owner's trustworthiness, but to the miracle that has previously taken place in her life.  He had performed emergency surgery on her years henceforth and he'd given her a mere few months to live in post-op because of the terrible state of her health.  She should have died, period.  Interesting.

So, the next day, in better light, Doug returned to the scene of the crime and asked to see the dog again.  This time the dog was more visible (a new mama who was eager to protect her pups), and the owner produced the paperwork on the vaccines AND a bag of veggies we'd never tried before, some basil seeds, and a single rose.  Sweet.  Much softened toward her and the unfolding situation, Doug inquired about her residence and the sewing machine he spotted just inside the door.  She said that her sewing business had taken a dive when the younger generation decided that rips and tears were all the rage.  Doug assured her that we could provide her with some business.  Then when I went a few hours later to chat with her myself, I too could see her arthritis and asked if I could pray for her right then.  With tears in her eyes, we said "Amen" at the end, and I knew that we'd made a new friend. 

So.....God is teaching us that even dog bites can lead to new friendships, and that our needs (even though they seem pretty great at the time) may not be the biggest need in God's view.  It's crazy too how he can take the most ugly, most unsettling situation and turn it into something that is beautiful and life-giving.  We're providing her with business and I've promised to pray for her hands daily; she's given us another chance to see God change our hearts and way to minister to the locals here in Shell.

What we're learning from these really tough days is that just like we as parents never take our kids out of their troubles, God would not take us out of ours.  As parents we want our kids to think through their situation, pray for guidance, trust God's wisdom, and patiently act upon what they know is right.  Our role is therefore to come alongside our kids, talking, walking, listening, and consoling.  We give wisdom, encouragement, and company.  We let them know that they are not alone but that they are more than able to address the issue before them.  They don't like walking through it, and sometimes they may even think we're mean to not fix it for them.  But, walk through it they must.

Likewise, we are seeing very vividly that God will not take us out of situations that He deems are perfect for us as the time--situations that prune, purify, and refine.  He will allow us to struggle and pray and rely on Him. And that's just what we've done.  We have prayed, fasted, talked, and really been still before the Lord. And, we're seeing that the fruit of these choices to be patient and listen to Him and His wisdom, is an actual joy in knowing that we've done things the right way, an incredible peace, and a very strong sense that the Lord's ways are ALWAYS best.  God is Good!

Thanks for reading!
Blessings,
kim