As I sit with my fingers poised over the keys trying to figure out how I want to retell my experience today, the fact doesn’t escape me that the very person I spent the most time with this afternoon will be sitting before her very own keyboard having to muster the energy to update the thousands of prayer warriors who are rallying for a miracle for her son.
I read Terri Stanton’s blog daily, following along as someone in the family gives us all the latest with Joseph. Reading the blog you realize that this new life they are forced to live isn’t just emotionally taxing, but physically exhausting. Yet daily they somehow find the energy to allow God to reveal himself in their daily suffering.
Joseph was sitting in a therapy chair when I arrived. There was a room full of visitors, most were moms of teens I’d had in youth group and we had all done the Bible study that Terri and I brought to St. Martha’s. We gathered around Joseph and Terri and I watched in awe of this mother who fluttered around her baby boy watching his blood pressure, removing splints, checking his blood pressure again, getting in his face and talking to him as if he’d just won the swim meet that would make or break his career. Joseph would respond with some eye, arms and foot movement but otherwise I think he is still in what the are calling the ‘awakening’ phase. I rubbed his arm, looked in his eyes, silently prayed for some great healing power to course through my fingers and into his now fragile body.
We prayed a decade of the rosary and then it was time for the therapists to come in and get Joseph back in bed and moving around. Everyone began to file out and I followed in suit but Terri asked me to stay. We hadn’t visited in a long time and she told me about all the ‘God kisses’ that have been happening since they were in Memorial Herman and now at Nexus. They’ve had visitors that have been ‘called’ to come see them, give them precious gifts of God’s blessed saints.
I could have stayed to listen to all of the awesome ways in which God has overwhelmed them with His presence and love in this deep dark time but eventually I had to leave to take care of my own boys. I went to visit her and Joseph today, uncertain of what I could offer but in sitting with her I realized God is using them to ‘show up’ for so many others. He is saying I’M HERE AND I’M REAL in a very big way through the way in which God’s people on earth are learning to come together with all the angels, saints and our beloved who have passed in heaven.
Please continue to pray for Joseph. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/thomasjosephstanton
I learned a lot about a Mother’s love today. I guess that’s why I feel so ‘chill’ as my oldest is celebrating his 12th birthday with 4 other 6th grade friends this evening. My house might be in shambles when I finish this entry and finally take a peak…but it is all relative.
May God bless you and your family.
Blessings
Shannon