No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!

This line from the old Monty Python's Flying Circus reminds me to always expect the unexpected. In my daily search for wisdom I often find my complacency blocking my path. God has a way of shining a bright light on my lack of vigilance. Today the light comes in the form of my daughter Lindsey being in the hospital. She had a headache last Sunday and almost stayed home from church. She went to church with us and practiced to sing but didn't feel well enough to sing for worship and went to the restroom because she was ill. We went looking for her about a half hour later and she was on the floor in the restroom passed out. It is now one week later and she is still in the hospital. Viral Encephalitis is the diagnosis and we will be dealing with the effects of this for at least the next six months. Lindsey's summer missionary plans have been put on hold and her school work will be averaged and she won't have to take finals. It does not appear at this point that she has any lasting brain damage but that still remains to be seen.

The old adage, "Man plans his steps but God directs his path." comes to mind. The outlook for the summer changed dramatically last Sunday. I am tempted to ask God why. She had plans to serve Him as a summer missionary, why would He allow this to happen? I know that the answer is that I will probably never know all of the ramifications of this episode. God knows them and it's good to have opportunity to let God be God. Let Him direct our path and not get in the way. Roman's 8:28-30 reminds me that ALL things are for good to those who love God and are called to His purposes. Lindsey is called and she loves Him, now we just have to see the working out part

No one expects the downhill sides of the mountaintop. I know it is a necessary part of the mountain to have hills on either side. One day in the New Jerusalem we will be on the mountaintop to stay. For now we need the perspective that the sides give to the mountain. This could have been much worse. She may have chosen to stay home and would have been there without care for another hour or two. We may have chosen to not take her to the hospital because we didn't realize she had experienced a seizure. The doctors may have misdiagnosed the symptoms and delayed the correct treatment and more of the brain may have been involved. God is good and merciful. There are many facets to this current condition. It looks dark now but maybe that's just because the light is being re-focused elsewhere.

Right now, I am going for the Comfy Chair torture, maybe a pillow with all the stuffing up in the one end... Cardinal Fang doesn't scare me.

Andy