Morning Passages: My mind today is on my son-in-law, David, who is having heart surgery. At the height of his ministry in a thriving church in southern California, he must pause for a sensitive surgery, or without miracle, an untimely death. Having been through life-extending surgeries, I feel strong empathy for his ordeal today. His wife, Jody, the youngest of my four children, will have a difficult day today – as her sister, Sharon, had a difficult day more than a decade ago when her husband, also a minister, had open-heart surgery. So will the David/Jody children, one of whom I wrote about on this day in Volume 1. In passing time, the son completed his studies for a B. A. degree at a Christian college some time ago, and is in Asia working with local citizens in learning and understanding the English language. His sister is graduating from still another Christian college as this is being written. He is no longer a boy, but a man in service to others. He continues in that growth to maturity, a journey all persons, without neutralizing handicaps, ought to follow, the sooner the better. Today, one of my daughters-in-law, an R. N. is taking me to the doctor for the final verdict on eye surgery that has renewed sight for my left eye. Now we hope to find a prescription that will focus both eyes to correct double vision.
Afternoon Passages: Six hours have passed since the above paragraph was written. Helen and I had lunch together at a favorite restaurant, and proceeded from there to the eye clinic. I learned from the doctor that I now have 20-20 vision, with spectacles, and will be struck by the benefit when I receive the prescription. I ordered the doctor to stay in practice for ten more years, when I will turn 100 years of age. He seemed favorable to my edict. A few minutes ago the call came from my daughter, from the hospital in San Diego. Her husband came through the surgery well, with repair of the valve rather than an implantation of a device, serving better for anticipated outcome than we were led to expect. In a few hours from now I will introduce a closing paragraph on her report after she sees him, and responds to contact with her beloved. Tonight the members of our family in our town will go out to dinner together to celebrate the birthday of my elder son, Mark, Jr. – making the 65th in his series. That day is tomorrow, but we are promised the first big snow storm of a very mild Minnesota winter (one of God’s general providences). That could interfere with our first plans. So we changed plans. (This is written on 02/27/2012.)
Evening Passages: I had an animating fellowship with my children. We prayed for our birthday boy in the meal grace, and our David in San Diego. Back home, I was engaged in my interests, but with my mind on a promised call from San Diego. It came about 10:00 pm. My Jody had seen her husband, chatted with him after the removal of the tube from his throat, and found him physically discomforted, but not distressed. He is scheduled to go home on Friday – in four days. No activity with any strain is to be engaged for two weeks. So my day ended. What a great day it has been, with the comfort and assurance each person felt in each of the sets of circumstances. I was given good news for my family. The members had shared in a unanimous union to pray about these and other concerns. There were seven of us seated at the evening’s family table, joining in spirit with our two members in San Diego – my children, their mates and me.
What does all this mean? Each family member is different in his or her person, but drawn together, not only in love, but in a faith experience of prayer that not only gave us a meaning of unity, but is a shadow of the love and care of God. Our family is, in this biblical model, a reflection of the family of God. Even if the news were not bright, as we often interpret it to be in the model of nature, we have courage from Jesus’ words: I pray for them. (John 17:9) For most Christians, the Lord’s healing is as real in the pattern of these passages as if in astonishing miracles. As one grows old in faith the realization strikes that it is better having the miracle worker with you than having him meet you from time to time with a miracle to sustain faith and relieve current problems and suffering. For human beings all problems and suffering are temporary. If any discomfort can be shared at all times, in a constancy that carries peace and reassurance while offering experience in love and hope – it is the better way. We are blest! *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020