“Have you talked to mom?” This is never a good text to receive. It’s even worse when you are living in another country with sketchy ways of getting in touch with family in the States.
This was the text I received in November. The news was not what I wanted to hear. My dad would be needing open heart surgery. I was in a quandary! I didn’t know what to do. My initial reaction was to be there no matter what. But then as I was thinking about making the ticket purchase, I just couldn’t be at peace with any of it. I kept asking Aaron what about this, and what about that. His response was supportive but not terribly helpful. “Do what you need to do and we’ll make it work.” Seriously? I really wanted him to just tell me what to do. Which flight to take. How long to be in the States.
You see this is something that has been fearful for me. Costa Rica is a long way from Pennsylvania. To have myself so very far from my husband and children wasn’t something that I looked forward to. (Okay, I may have looked forward visiting Chiptole and a few other stores.) We have 4 kids! That’s a lot to ask for daddy to undertake. But, to have myself so far away from my parents & siblings during this time wasn’t something to look forward to either.
So, I called my dad and asked what he thought I should do. His response, after my blubbering subsided was, “Just stay there & come when the whole family can come”. Really? I reasoned that if that’s what he wanted that I could be at peace with it. It seemed like this was my answer. I would be staying in Costa Rica while my dad underwent major surgery. While my siblings were there with my mom.
My family has gone through this particular surgery before. Twenty-one years ago my dad almost died from a heart attack. I was 13 years old and remember standing in the emergency room watching my dad being worked on while they tried to save his life. Then several months later I watched him begin the slow recovery process from open heart surgery. Keep in mind he was 21 years younger as well. Don’t think I didn’t have my misgivings, because this time around he’s 80 years old.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21
This was my Facebook post on January 6 with my dads surgery scheduled for the 9th. I was resting in that verse going into the week of his surgery. I really was totally "okay" with not being there. I was thinking I might need to have some extra activity while he was in surgery, but I wasn’t dwelling on it or fretting. I was totally at peace.
Tuesday morning I was teaching the kids and getting ready for Ladies Group at my house when Aaron said, “Hey did you see this email?”. The email was from dear friends saying that they didn’t think I should miss this time with my family. Wow~ Immeasurably more... that’s a lot! My Father in heaven was pouring out more than I could ask, think or imagine. I don’t think I have ever experienced a gift like this from someone. I was so shocked.
So, we quickly forgot about school, and got the ticket purchased. Ladies from ladies group came and shared and prayed with me while Aaron arranged my shuttle to the airport, and the next morning I was off.
I had great flight times considering that most flights the day I wanted to go didn’t get in until the next day. I arrived pretty late at night, and since we had to get up very early to go to the hospital, my sister and I didn’t get any sleep. We just took showers and then did what any reasonable adult should do, and jumped on our dad when it was time for him to wake up! :) Yes, we snuggled with our dad before he had to go to surgery. He said he didn’t want to let us go. What a privilege it was for me to be able to be there and hug and pray with my parents. I was freezing but I was there.
He was in surgery all day. He was in the hospital less than a week! Immeasurably more~ I just kept thinking the whole time I was there that God was pouring out on us and on me! Now don’t get me wrong I know things don’t always turn out the way we would hope, and we always need to give God the glory in all things. God was showing me His love in His way in His time.
Ephesians 3: 14 - 21
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge --that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work with in us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
We as parents want our kids to know the love of God and to understand it in every aspect of their lives. But do we? Do we look for God’s love? It seemed during my whole trip that God was showing me his love. At every turn He was shouting, “Do you see that I care about the little details?” Maybe it was my looking for it, or that I only had myself to look out for and could focus a little better, but I could see Him working the whole time!
When I left I asked the kids if there was something that they really wanted me to bring back from the States. They all responded with, “Backpacks!”. (Theirs have gotten a touch moldy and torn since we’ve been here.) I hoped to fill this request, but I wasn’t sure I could with the exact colors that were requested. Also, have you shopped for backpacks lately?! Oh my, they are way too expensive!
I had purchased all but one during events that were only explained by God and was speaking with Aaron before I went into the last store and said, “You know, I still don’t have the last backpack.” That was it. I don’t remember if I prayed about it or anything. Then I walked into a shoe store and as I looked at the ladies shoes a salesman CAME OVER TO ME in the corner of the store! (Remember that I had no kids with me.) He held up a backpack and said, “You wouldn’t be interested in this backpack would you? It’s $2.00.” Wow! I was blown away! I almost burst into tears! The Lord was really getting to me with these backpacks for my kids!
God knew the colors that had been requested!
When I got home I shared with the kids each story of how I had found or been shown their backpack. I wanted them to know that God knew their hearts and had these picked out packs for them at prices that I could afford. (I spent a total of $20 for four new or nearly new backpacks that were all very good brands!) God was showering my kids with his love as well! Please hear me well. I don’t believe that God always shows us his love with “things”, but we need to be aware of God’s love and looking for it in all areas of our lives.
I am definitely not the writer that my husband is, but I really felt like God wanted me to tell y'all this story. (Yes, I only lived in the South a year but I really like this word.) I have learned that I need to look for the Immeasurably More ways that God shows us his love. Power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. And to know this love that surpasses knowledge and filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Have you looked at the ocean recently? I mean really looked at it or really thought about it. When I look at it sometimes I am overwhelmed by the vastness of it. Mostly because I’m freaking out when our 3 year old runs into it at breakneck speeds and throws herself without care into it as the tide rushes up to engulf her. The same is true for God’s love we need to run at breakneck speeds straight into it and let it wash over us throwing ourselves straight into the arms and love of The God of the universe.
Life in Costa Rica is going well. We are enjoying living here. We will be visiting family in March in California and hopefully Pennsylvania as well. We are learning Spanish slowly but surely. We are by no means fluent, but if people are patient and take it slow we can usually understand what they are saying. (Costa Ricans as a rule don’t speak slowly.)
The school year starts today here in Costa Rica and Aaron has been asked to help teach one day a week at the Christian School and is looking forward to that new part of the journey. Not much else has changed with our different activities and schedules here in Costa Rica. We were encouraged last night to be doing ministry in our community and with our neighbors in a daily personal way, life on life. We are all to be loving and showing God’s love to those around us in the individual opportunities that God provides. Be God’s missionaries to the lost as well as to our fellow Christians.
Your Sister in Christ,
Faith
