Funny (not really - just a figure of speech) how one phone call, sounding like all the rest as it rings, can take a day (week, month, year or life) and turn it on its ear. Such has been the experience of our family over the past few days.
Having just returned home from my son's (Jordan's) graduation from UTI in Chicago (some great pictures of that event on my Facebook account), I had just about gotten settled back in for a very demanding week when came "the call." In a matter of moments, our week went from one filled with certainty to one that continues to be in this moment, very uncertain.
"The Call" was the one where we discovered that Tonya's dad had been hospitalized in Florida (where her parents winter) because of his inability to breath. While we knew he had been dealing with this for a long time, it had never reached this degree of severity. In the hours that followed, we were told that barring a miracle, he would not be going home...he was not going to get better...he was not going to be with us much longer.
Many of you have experienced the flurry of activity that happened next: plane ticket purchased (man, do they gouge you on that one!); school & work schedules adjusted; family contacted; and a long sleepless night as you are filled with the uncertainty of whether or not you can get there before he is gone.
After my parents got Tonya to the airport early Monday (thanks!), I began working on the wave of other uncertainties: Tonya is one of our key singers (Easter musical twice this week); Tonya has the special music and plays the piano at our Maundy Thursday service; Tonya gets the kids back and forth from school & work; Tonya has food waiting when I get home for supper; Tonya is playing a special piece for our Resurrection service Sunday. Parent teacher conferences & Honor Society inductions to attend & celebrate...somehow. Uncertainty, uncertainty, uncertainty.
But then the certainties started rolling in: people to fill the gaps in food, transportation, work, piano playing, singing, and most importantly, a vast array of praying people gathered around us and the needs of the moment. And believe it or not, these are the little things (not unimportant, just not most important).
In the category of "Most Important," we found rest in the certainty of her dad's (Bob's) life well-lived for Christ - a life that guarantees when his eyes close here they'll open in eternity with Jesus. Comfort was secured again in the certainty that her mom would be taken care of and loved for however many years she has.
We have found the greatest rest in knowing that God is absolutely in control of the entire situation. Oh sure, the week has brought numerous unknowns & uncertainties, but it has brought into razor-sharp focus what we know for sure. And there is no amount of uncertainty that can diminish the certainties that bring us strength, hope and peace. We pray that you have that assurance as well!
