Tuesday, March 17, 2015
"Your Pastor is here to see You"
Last weekend we celebrated Samuel's 6 th birthday and Williams 8th birthday. I want to share a story about William and the circumstances that occurred after he was born. It is such an example of God's goodness and abundance to me.
William was born at home, as planned, three weeks early and weighed a healthy 9 lbs 2 oz. Though that is not usually significant, we realized some hours in, that he was not breathing normally and his color was not right.
William was our ninth home birth and we had never had any concerns before, other than Jaundice. So, we packed up a few things, including the oxygen tank and midwife, and headed to the emergency room in Tacoma. Our midwife had called ahead so that we would not spend anytime in the waiting room.
A couple doctors and nurses assessed him and soon they wisked him off to the Nicu. I was saddened at this separation, but I really felt a peace about it too. We knew he needed these medical professionals. We had to wait outside as they hooked him up to various things and when they called us in to be with him, I'll never forget, he was in the same cubicle that our nephew, George, was in eight years before, fighting for his life at only 1 lb. 11 oz. Some doctors and nurses even remembered George, who survived after 8 months in the hospital. Again, I felt at peace with this: our family cubicle in the Nicu.
We were weary, and I had been up and on my feet for hours, after having just given birth. As a pastor's wife, I must confess, that at one point the thought went through my mind, "Well, the pastor won't be coming coming to visit." We were between assistant pastors at the time, so David was the only pastor at MCC.
This is where God really showed Himself. We had to leave William for a bit so that I could lie down and as we walked out of the nursing station, a nurse stopped us and said, "Your Pastor is here to see you." What?
We shook our heads and I tearfully said, "No, this can't be." And as I said it, the doors to the Nicu opened and there was Pastor Roth and his wife from a church across town! They were such a blessing and the timing was so good! Ruth right away went to work giving me a back rub and sharing their own Nicu story. Of course, we let them see the baby.
This isn't all! During the 10 days that William was in the hospital, many people from our church visited and several friends from outside our church, but do you know? In end, FIVE Pastors and/or Pastor's wives came to visit us. Pastor Houston and his wife, Emily, Pastor Jackson and his wife,Jan, Pastor Pollock and his wife, Susan, and a Pastor's wife that we didn't really know but had heard and cared.
Really, I can only remember that one instance of self pity because, of course, otherwise I was focused on William and his oxygen levels, but somehow, God in His wisdom, knew that I needed to see that ministry may seem lonely at times, but the reality and truth of it is this- We are one body, and when part of our body hurts, we all hurt. Also, God hears our thoughts and knows our needs and He is abundant far above anything we can ask or think.
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Eph. 3:20-21
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