Psalm 107:29-32 - He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet; So He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the children of God. Let them extol God also in the congregation of the people, And praise God at the seat of the elders.

 

I am writing this update from my Mom's hospital room in Palm Springs, CA. All is quiet now, the emergency situation calmed and hushed so I have time now to give thanks for all of God's lovingkindness. Following a Sunday morning service where I preached in Ottawa, IL on  Oct. 28th, I received a call that my Mom had been taken by ambulance to the hospital. A new friend noticed my worried expression and quickly gathered some folks to pray for my family and my worried heart. 2am the next morning my sister informed me that Mom had suffered a brain bleed and was facing emergency surgery and asked if I could get there asap. God's grace embraced me in the many loving ways I was cared for throughout this familial storm. From the helpful and compassionate flight booking agent to the understanding ABW leaders and churches planning on my missions presentations who rearranged their schedules, from the phone calls from my kids, husband and friends to the rides to and from the airport, I felt grace's embrace. I was able to arrive 30 minutes before my Mom went into brain surgery, one that was complicated by her chronic weakened heart and lung condition. We gathered around her bedside with the pastor who baptized her 40 years ago, very aware that it could be the last time we shared life together. Good good-byes were interspersed with jokes and laughter, and God held us all in a surreal hug. As friends from all over the globe prayed for us, we heard from the doctors that Mom had survived and did well throughout the procedure. We praised God at the bedside of this well-loved elder. Now the long road to recovery lays before us, the storm has stilled, the waves of anxiety hushed for now, yet we are still in need of grace's embrace, now more than ever. Grace to love each other well in the day in and day out of caring for someone who spent her life caring for others. Grace to see the unique contributions of each one and work together to each do what we have the power to do. Grace to readjust expectations and grace to forgive when readjusting is just too hard. 

 

In order to be here in California, I've depended on grace. Grace offered when I had to cancel speaking commitments. Grace offered when I can't be with my husband and kids back home in WA. Grace offered when fatigue and multi-tasking rob me of kindness and compassion towards others. In between hospital visits, house-cleaning and welcoming my niece's new baby into our world, I received notice of the many gifts of financial support given to my ministry in Latin America, reminding me that I am truly blessed by grace, able to build strong networks of support across Latin America at the same time nurturing those that have shaped and held me over the years. Thank you for being part of grace's embrace.

 

Mylinda