Perspective

I recently had the opportunity to go with my husband and visit a member's daughter who was diagnosed with cancer. I don't usually make hospital visits with my hubby but this time I felt compelled to go. Upon arriving I was surprised to find a room full of people, almost a party. They were all in good spirits and hopeful that their daughter would survive. I didn't feel it made much difference for me to go on this hospital visit but I am told that sometimes just being there is what is needed. The whole experience from the first phone call announcing this family's crisis to the continuing of chemo treatments give us new perspective on our lives here on this earth. I can't begin to imagine what this family is going through, what the mom is going through. My heart breaks for them. We have many things that we complain about here in rural Wisconsin. My own heart longs to be in a different place. But for now God is using us in this family's lives and in the lives of others in our church. Although I am not always happy about my husband's calling to be a pastor it is an important work. Life has a way of putting things into perspective for us, letting us see a glimpse of how fragile life can be. Even though I wish for us to be in "suburbia", our frustrations are minor compared to life threatening illnesses. I can be thankful that my children are healthy and that God is in the midst of it all.