Joy comes in the morning.

I figured I would try to, or at least want to, post every day once I decided I wanted to try to start this blogging thing. Things always work out differently than you expect. The morning after my last post, a minute from work, I got a call from my brother that my dad was transferred into the ICU.

Just typing it still gives me a shock.

Dad had called Monday evening to say he wasn't feeling well and had gone to the doctor that afternoon; his speech sounded like he was half asleep. I called mom the next day to see how things were going but she was already making her way into the hospital. I asked if I should come down but she insisted that the doctor said he would be fine and that I should come down this weekend when he would be feeling better. I am not one for trying to change the past but I wish I did go down right then. I had put together a Webinar for work that I was leading and had been practicing for weeks and wanted to see it through the next day. Funny though, my dad would have done the same thing; as much as I am not a career focused person, he was. Needless to day, as soon as I got the call Wednesday morning, I called my husband and we left for the longest three hour drive I have had to date.

My mom, brother, sister-n-law, and my mom's best friend were already there when we arrived. Except for a few hours here and there, we would be constant companions for the next two weeks. My mom had waited until I arrived to give us all an update. She said that she flat out asked the doctor if he would come out of whatever it is that he had and the doctor had told her that my dad would come out of it, or at least there is no reason why he wouldn't. That made us all rest easier and I even scolded myself for being so dramatic. When we got ready to go into his room a little later my mom warned my that he looks worse than he is. I have never seen a room more filled with machines and beeps and cords. The beeps, however aggrivating at first, became the signs of life that we eventually found security in, and definitly missed when they stopped. He was breathing really heavily and was pretty out of it. I told him that I was glad I was here, and he said, almost incoherantly, that he was glad I was there too.

Although I could repeat everything that happened the next week, I will save myself the heartache for now and sum it up. The more bad news we heard, the more we held on to Christ. Every piece of bad news was just more fuel on the fire of hoping in what miracle God would perform. I would estimate that we had around 1,000 people around the globe, and around the clock, praying for my father and my family. It seemed like all of facebook was lighting up with prayers for my dad. We prayed for him in his room, read the Bible to him, prayed together as a family around him and in the waiting room. I have never seen most of my family (all the extendeds showed up later in the week, around 13 more) ever even open up a Bible or talk about God, let alone be so dedicated to scripture and prayer. It was sure a sight to see that I was so thankful for during that time but also so thankful that we all got to experience together.

Philippians 4 says 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.' I have read that verse and even sang the song about a million times, but truly experiencing the peace of God is a gift I would pray for everyone to have. My family and I felt our brothers and sisters' prayers. Literally felt them. Through the uncertainty and sadness, my family was uplifted. There are no words to describe this feeling, this hope that I have, it truly transcends all understanding. And for that peace for my family and myself, I sing praise to God.

Though my family and friends were praying for a miracle healing that we could all see, my father went to be with Jesus on Sunday, January 20th, 2 weeks before his 56th birthday. The one thing I was holding on to from the beginning was this verse I read about 5 years ago. At the time, it struck me so odd and actually made me a bit angry. It is a story of 3 guys who refused to bow down to an idol set up by the king. The punishment was being thrown into a furnace of fire. When the king told them to bow down or die, they replied: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from your majesty's hand. but even if he does ot, we want you to know that we will not servce your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." They would still worship a God who didn't save you, even when we was able?!?! That thought still pops in my head sometimes when I reminiss about hard times in my life. But then I remember that no matter what situations I face here on earth, God has saved me. He sent His Son to die for me, to die to save me, though I had done nothing but bash His name.

Let me make one thing very clear; my father is healed. He has a more perfect healing than I can have or could try to imagine. I am sad only because I can no longer make new memories with my dad. I praise God for bringing my family members closer to Him, one by one over the last 15 years, so that in the past weeks, we can all rely on Him and be mutually encouraged in our faiths and encourage those who have not yet trusted in the Lord. I praise God for the peace I cannot explain that He has given my family and me and that I have been able to share this peace in the midst of anguish with others.

A righteous man who walks in his integrity— how blessed are his sons and daughters after him. He has fought a good fight, he has finished the course, and he has kept the faith. There is laid up for him a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to him in that day: and not only to him, but to them also that love His coming.
The LORD my GOD will swallow up death in victory; He will wipe away tears from off all faces. He has turned for me my mourning into dancing; He has taken away my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to Him and not be silent. O LORD my GOD, I will give thanks to You forever.

–Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, 2 Timothy.