Unexpected Visitor

Most churches welcome visitors with open arms, but we had an unwelcome one last Sunday morning. Our pastor had just started his sermon when I heard rounds of laughter erupting at a little mouse who had scampered onto the stage. It was boldly stealing the show while Pastor Tim considered whether to exterminate him with his shoe or try to continue. He went on with his sermon, but all eyes followed the little critter as it explored around the worship band's instruments and equipment. As a teacher, I sympathized with how frustrating it is to talk to a group when they are more interested in the distraction than the lesson.

I struggled to concentrate on the sermon about the fish and the loaves while Perry visually tracked the little critter. "It just went over the edge of the stage" he updated. I assumed it went underneath the stage to hide like a sensible mouse should, and I refocused my attention to the sermon notes. Seconds later, it was apparent that our little friend was meandering among the congregation. It was easy to spot its location by the swivel of the heads of the people in front of me.

When I noticed the people in the rows ahead doing something that looked like the wave, I knew it wasn't in enthusiastic response to the Holy Spirit. The mouse was heading toward the back of the auditorium and someone muttered, "It's coming this way." I looked down, but saw nothing but my purse and book bag on the floor near my feet.

A friend of ours had seized a paper cup and was silently walking up the aisle, stalking the little rodent. I moved the edge of my book bag and peered down hesitantly only to see a little pair of beady eyes peering back at me. That mouse apparently thought hiding behind my bags would provide just the safe haven he needed. "He's right here", I called to Mick, and he leaned down to flick the mouse into the cup. Instead the critter flipped into my purse!

Perry, Mick and I made a quick exit with my bags in tow. When I reached the grass outside, I flung my purse on the ground, then shook it until my little friend evacuated himself. Meanwhile, Perry dug through my book bag suspiciously, as if the mouse had suddenly multiplied himself like the fish and the loaves.

We returned to the auditorium, laughing about the adventure yet sheepish about the way we added to the disruption of the church service. I set down my purse (on my lap this time) and remembered my rationale when I purchased it a few weeks ago. I remembered thinking that bag would be handy to have and would hold all sorts of things... How right I was.

The Husband The Wife and The Wardrobe

My parents are doing some major sorting at their house and getting rid of extra furniture they don't use anymore. They had a wardrobe in their basement, and mom thought I might want it. She knows my excitement about any storage related item... so I immediately said yes! It could go in my work room and hold craft supplies or teaching materials. I might use it in the basement for out of season clothing. Joe or Ben might need it for apartment life at college someday. Over Labor Day weekend, I got busy clearing a space for the cabinet so Perry and I could go get it.

My helpful husband went to the car dealership where he works to borrow a small pickup. When we got to my parents' house, we realized that moving that huge wardrobe up the stairs would be no small job. More cumbersome than heavy, we somehow heaved it up one step at a time and carried it to the pickup. I was sweaty and covered in dirt, but feeling very smug to see that large cabinet filling the back end of the truck and knowing I'd had the muscle to manage my end. I collapsed into my seat, Perry carefully shifted gears, and we slowly rolled homeward.

Stopping at a busy intersection in town, Perry chatted on his cell phone while I considered the storage possibilities for this handy piece of furniture. We were barely across the street when we heard a sickening crash. Looking behind us, we saw the cabinet laying in pieces after being launched out of the back of the truck.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry as we did a u-turn to pick up the pieces and toss them back in the truck. Passing motorists maneuvered carefully around our vehicle and the pile of wardrobe rubble, probably laughing hysterically and thanking their lucky stars they weren't in our shoes.

We returned home, chucked the pieces of splintered wood at the curb, and I called my parents to explain what had happened. Thankfully, they had a sense of humor about the whole ordeal. It might be awhile before they offer us anything else of value from their house though.

A Different Dream for My Child

What I would have given for a book like this nearly 13 years ago, when I was sitting in the NICU with a sick baby.

My heart was nearly paralyzed with fear for so many things. I was afraid that Sam might not live, I was afraid that he was suffering and I couldn't do anything to make it better, I was afraid of the endless number of needle sticks and invasive tests his tiny body was forced to endure. I was afraid of what was yet to come, but I didn't know how to process these fears and worries. I wanted to hand them over to God and trust Him with my baby's fragile condition but I didn't quite know how.

What I needed at that time was an experienced friend to come alongside me and gently offer to share her story with me. It would have been so helpful to hear about someone else's journey with a child who had a serious medical condition. I craved practical advice from someone who had been where I was and lived to tell about it. Praying for me and praying with me when I couldn't find the words, this friend could share insights from the bible in language I could understand. She could explain how God could help me find the strength to survive my baby's health crisis and be the parent I wanted to be. I also needed encouragement and advice on the minor logistical challenges I faced while caring for my child.

That support I wished for is now available in the form of an amazing little book of meditations called A Different Dream for My Child. You can preview the book here. Jolene Philo shares her own story as well as the stories of many other parents who have faced the scary reality of a seriously ill child. The medical situations are all so different, and yet the emotions each family faced were universal and startlingly similar to mine. It was so heartwarming to read these meditations and feel encouraged and supported.

In this book, my friend Jolene offers heartwarming encouragement on the major issues parents may face, but she also offers helpful advice on the little logistics many parents must deal with during a child's extended illness. Like all good friends do, she offers bits of well-timed humor from her own situation in order for us to see glimmers of hope in ours.

If you know someone who is going through a health crisis and wish there was something you could do to help or support the family, start by getting this book into their hands. For anyone who is drowning in the emotional challenges of parenting a child with a chronic illness, this book will feel like a lifeline.