The days passed slowly and our family began to settle into a new "normal." We had finally talked to the kids. That alone is worth a blog. (: I will just share enough to let you know what it was like. First of all, kids are very smart. They are very curious by nature and trying to gloss things over just doesn't really work. We tried to tell them that their brother was "sick". Well, that didn't really work since they thought he had a cold and we should pray for him to feel better...No big deal. Well, OK, not just "sick" but ..."really sick". Well, OK, "what do you mean, 'really sick'?" Oh my... this could go on all day. In the end, we decided it was better to tell them everything. Including the big words. They got an education and could better understand what their brother (and our family) was facing. You can imagine that from that moment on, our house was filled with some very sincere questions. We got to have many talks about what God can do and what God "does". How he is sovereign and if we were all getting every miracle we needed, then this place we are would be called... "Heaven". Jesus said, "In this world, you will have trials and tribulations, but do not fear, I have overcome the world." They were able to dig deeper into their faith than many are able to in an entire lifetime. Surprisingly enough, they were very at peace with it all. Mostly, they wanted to pray for a miracle. A child's faith is like no other. But we had to also prepare them for the fact that we might not get a miracle. We had to discuss how rare miracles are, and that is why they are called miracles. Inviting them to walk this road with us was the best thing we could have done. I am so glad that I had time to make peace with God first though. I was unprepared for how many questions they had and their need to talk about it ALL the time. There were days when I just didn't have it in me and my sweet husband would have to step in and save me from their questions. I would retreat somewhere and cry. I just didn't have all the answers. I guess that was good for them to see. It also took away the one place I could go where I felt like things were still normal. In the end, it was still the right thing to do. Just wasn't easy.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
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2 comments:
Parker and Rachel have two very sweet and loving parents. I can't imagine that...but I know that you guys prepared them well. They are both beautiful and smart and I think one day they will have even more respect and love for you in the ways that you loved them and didn't treat them as "children" in this matter.
The kids are so fortunate to have wise parents who took a risk telling them the whole story. I'm sure that when you told them and had to share with them things like God does not always give us the miracles we want, you had to take away a certain beautiful naivity (sp?). But what a blessing also! Some kids go through life with a very different picture of Christianity and when things do not go their way, they become so angry and bitter with God. You walked them through such a difficult thing and painted a beautiful picture of a loving God along the way. They will not forget that! I am excited to see how this trial in their lives plays out in their future. I think they will have an incredible understanding that leads to incrediblt opportunities that most kids and even adults do not have! You are a great mom, and Tim is a great dad! Your kids are blessed!
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