Moment to Moment

I've not written about this because truthfully drama magnets drive me insane! You know the type - somehow it becomes all about them and how they are affected by whatever it is going on. Honestly, I have felt quite burdened and involved emotionally and just haven't wanted to make it about me at all! Because it just so isn't. However, the Lord is using an unexpected and disappointing circumstance to speak to me and teach me. And I am so grateful.


So the background story goes that our friends were pregnant with their second child, and during a routine ultrasound discovered that there were some "complications". Further testing told them that their baby, among a few other things (cleft pallate, organs in a sac outside of her body), had Trisomy 13 and would basically be born to die. I just can't even imagine. And so they prepared for the worst. We all did.


And so, no one knew what to expect. No, that's not true. We were all expecting sweet little Josie to die. Of course we hoped for the best and believed a miracle was possible, but when a medical professional says not to expect your baby to live, you maybe don't.
We were all nervous and emotional. But God says to lay our requests before Him. To petition Him, and that's what we did. We begged and petitioned God for His will, and yes, even a miracle - that he would give her chosen loving, incredible, joy-filled, spirit-filled, faithful, trusting, kind, amazing parents just a moment with her, just a few moments with her - heck, we started asking the Lord to be gracious and pleading with him for lots of time with her. "Lord, if ANYONE 'deserves' a miracle, it's Mark and Julie. Because they WILL, they DO testify to your goodness, no matter what. They WILL, they DO say He gives and takes away BLESSED is the name of the Lord".

Yesterday I celebrated her one WEEK birthday with some friends in prayers of thanksgiving. Today, one week and one day later (!!!!!!) I got to hold the sweet, precious, beautiful blessing of a miracle that is Josie Stahle.

In her short (but gratefully long) week of life I have already learned so much through Josie's wee life and our friends' experience. God has answered some really big and some small(er), specific prayers I've prayed and I have been so encouraged and spurred on. Every day, I am reminded how GOOD the Lord is to give us life, to keep our bodies working, and to thank him for a days worth of moments for the Stahles and their newest addition.

But I want to share what is so central in this: every moment is a blessing and a gift. I know we all "know" that, but do you know that?

I've had my share of trajic and sudden death experiences. And we all know life is short and to be enjoyed and celebrated. But this is really really resonating with me. I mean, my Spirit is stirred, and I am convicted about this.
Visiting with Mark and Julie was powerful. It's really moment to moment living for the Stahles. Things could go bad really fast, but they don't want to live in fear thinking about if there will be a tomorrow, or what troubles tomorrow may have. They want to embrace ever second and enjoy life together.

Matthew 6:34
"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow has enough worry fot itself"

2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind."

Have you ever said, "Ugh, I just hate Mondays", or "I just can't wait for this day to be over". I sure have.
And I've always known better.
Now, I really know better.

So what does moment to momenet look like in my life? In your life? What baggage do you need to let go of? What grievance do I need to forgive? Where in my heart do I need to accept healing and move on? Am I enjoying my life? How was today, did I appreciate my children and the gifts that they are? How about my husband, my friend, my mom?

The truth of the matter is, we NEVER know what the next moment is going to bring. We can make an educated guess, or an assumption and probably be right. But maybe not.

For me, moment to moment living is the same as this whole "God Journey" that I'm on. It's trusting that everything is purposed and has a purpose. That when I am weak, He is strong. That every aspect of my life is God coming or going - He is always at work.

It's holding the important things in life near and dear to my heart. To not lose sight of the treasures that I CAN take with me (ie: people! the investment into my children), to not lose the faith, to not grow weary, but to fight the good fight, to finish the race that I am called to in Christ.

I'll end with this.

When I was living in Mexico with a missionary couple, Augustin said to me:
"I have worked with many teams from the states and from Canada. And everyone does it, but I notice that Canadians especially have this obsession to plan everything. I'm not saying that making plans is a bad thing, but when you don't leave room for God to work, there's a problem. And when you make your plans, you're usually less likely to move from them. God is a moment to moment God - he wants us to be obedient in every moment. I mean, if he tells you to laugh today and cry tomorrow - then if you're focused on tomorrow you'll be crying today instead of laughing. Laugh and enjoy today. Let tomorrow come and do what you need to do tomorrow."

(started this yesterday, finished it today)