Hinds Feet on High Places

"God, my Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet swift as those of hinds and enables me to go upon the heights. " (Hb 3:19) I read this yesterday in the Magnificat Rosary Companion, at the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery. I remembered it again today and also remembered that I had read a book titled "Hinds Feet on High Places". That was a good book the first time I read it and after many years when I read it again,it had a whole different message for me. Today, this scripture reading had a very peaceful meaning for me, the second time I read it.

We definitely experienced the storm before the calm this morning. Paul's system has finally settled down and his fever seems to have subsided for the time being. He finally fell asleep at 2:00 p.m. and has been sleeping soundly. He woke a moment ago and as I stood to check on him, he said "Stay where you are, I'm okay." This is terrific as he realized immediately where he was and even though I was sitting out of his view, he remembered where I was located in the room. He was very coherent and is now back sleeping soundly again. Thank you for your prayer petitions, as God is lending a helping hand.

As Paul slept I sat praying and thinking about all the pain he has endured these past months. He has been so gentle in spirit and yet has remained strong in his efforts to regain his life. God's hand is at work in this wonderful young man and in my prayers today I had to thank God for gracing me by sending Paul as my son. So many lessons I have learned and I imagine there are so many more to learn. But as the scripture passage reminds us, God will enable us to go upon the heights.

The comic relief of the day came when Jon brought me some lunch, as I had not eaten since last night, nor had I had time to even leave the room since then. I had called him around 11 a.m. and asked if he would stop and maybe get me a hamburger. I knew it needed to be a quick stop for him, as he was going to have to travel a fairly good distance to bring me something. He walked in and handed me the lunch. I won't ask you to quess what it was..............it was so strange...............he handed me a Happy Meal from McDonalds. I am laughing again as I type this. I asked him what possessed him to buy me a Happy Meal! At this point, even Paul started to 'snicker'. He was smiling and we could hear a very soft laugh from him. Jon said with a perfectly straight face, "you asked for a hamburger and I thought you would like a drink too and since that all comes with a Happy Meal I got you one." I looked inside and laughed even harder as I pulled out my toy. It was a long, green haired girl troll doll with comb. I commented that it was a girl troll doll and the next line Jon stated had me laughing even harder. He said he had been asked if the Happy Meal was for a girl or boy and he said he told them it was for his wife!! Bet the employee at McDonald's drive through is still laughing too.) I thanked him for bringing me lunch and a great laugh. A bit later, he picked up the doll and made a few jokes about it to amuse Paul, which it did and then he put it on the IV stand fore entertainment for the nurses. We did have a 'Happy Meal!'

Before Paul's surgery yesterday, a nurse came back into his room to get me to help them get Paul to speak to the pre-op nurses. He doesn't talk to strangers much and he was using more of sign language than verbal responses. Most of this is because his head was hurting so bad, he just doesn't feel like talking, so he doesn't. After I gave them the answers needed, I was told I could stay in the pre-op area with Paul until he was taken to the surgery room. As we were sitting, I as looking at my hands and noticing that they were very dry from all the times I wash them since I don't want to pass any germs to Paul. Paul has started to ask me a lot about what I am thinking. He looked at me looking at my hands and asked me what I was thinking. I told him that I was noticing how dried out my hands were and then I was reminded of a time when I was in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and I noticed a picture of Blessed Teresa's hands and I prayed that my hands would serve God as well. I thought that if my hands looked like hers at my death, it would be good as long as I had been a good servant of the Lord. I told Paul that I was not complaining about my hands, because in taking care of him, I was getting to be more like Blessed Teresa. And the most awesome thing was that God had made that part easy - I was getting to serve the Lord by serving my own son. How awesome was that? Paul pulled his hands out from under the blanket and looked at his. He then said his hands didn't look like that. I told him that it was because he had musician's hands and that he was supposed to bring music to God's people as a way of serving. He looked at his hands for a moment longer, then put them back under the blanket and closed his eyes. Another moment that I will hold dear to my heart as Paul and I allow God to enable us to go upon the heights.

It is our hope and prayer that Paul will be allowed to come home tomorrow. His temperature is holding at 98 degrees and he is being started back on some food. It will be great if he can hold it down, which will enable him to gain more strength.

Peace to all of you in this day,
Jon and Rebecca