"Stones" of Remembrance

I've been neglecting this blog far too often and I apologize to my faithful readers - all two of you. :-)

Seriously, this is a post I've been wanting to write for some time. Not long after Sarah received her liver transplant in April 2009, I started considering all the positive influences we'd witnessed as a family during our stressful days leading up to it. Despite our circumstances and struggles, God made Himself evident to us throughout our journey. To commemorate His faithfulness, I'd like to look at our "stones" of remembrance - those people, things and events that made our lives bearable during Sarah's original diagnosis all the way through transplant.

- Friends: We would have been nowhere without our dearest friends. People who sacrificed their time and own comfort to meet with Patty at Children's and who even stayed with her over many nights; our kids' "aunties and uncles" who made themselves present when Patty couldn't be with the kids. The friends who checked in on us, faithfully prayed for us and lifted us up when we stood on the edge of a breakdown.

- The Body of Christ: Never before in my life have I witnessed the impact of the Body quite like I did in the midst of our ordeal. Facebook became a soothing balm and vessel for people from all over the world to share our adventure, and their prayers. Many people we've still never met in person but their faithfulness and love to people they didn't know is forever etched on my heart. Gifts, food, a showering of love - all of these were evident from so many people, it's still difficult for me to conceive. The love of Christ was clear and present.

- Family: Our children may never understand just how instrumental their grandparents were in relieving some of the pain and uncertainty that could have shadowed their lives had the older generation not been present. Why my parents bought a house much bigger than they needed was a mystery - until Sarah's diagnosis. How  the Walkers and Krafts always made room for our kids, concerned only with providing memories and stability, will forever be a blessing to us.

- Hope: At the end of each day, realizing we weren't on this journey alone and that it wouldn't last forever, hope stood reaching out to us. The hope and promise of a different future, but a future nonetheless.

- Peace: Even in the turmoil of 52 out of 61 straight days at Children's did not completely remove God's peace from our hearts and minds. Some times I'm certain we didn't even really know where that peace came from, or how we could keep standing.

Was every day perfect? No. Did we struggle a lot? Yes. In hindsight, are we grateful for the experience? I'd have to answer, yes. The people who impacted our lives and whom we've met or had the chance to positively influence has been worth the pain. You never believe that when you're riding the tidal wave of pain and uncertainty. It's only much later that you can look back and view things with clear vision, understanding that every thing does happen for a purpose.