Breathing

Dear Kate,

This is one of those posts that I thought, "Really, is it a big deal?"  "Should I take the time to write this down?"  Yes.  I have encouraged a friend recently to write down her confirmations and victories in regards to her and her husband's decision to homeschool.  I must take my own advice sometimes :).  It's not a huge thing, but I was reminded of Psalm 145:4:

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.

That is the entire point of this blog to you, Kate; that I would tell you (the next generation) of God's mighty acts.  I will proclaim his power, goodness, faithfulness, and grace to you, and his MERCY!  His mercy astounds me.

We started your first round of 56 doses of TOBI http://www.tobitime.com/info/about-tobi/About-TOBI.jsp this morning, and it started badly.  You cried, writhed around, pulled off the mask, pulled out the tubing to the nebulizer.  I was sad, frustrated with you, trying to instruct children around me who were needing to finish various jobs...and then I prayed.  It still surprises me that sometimes it is the last thing I think of to do.  I don't even know what I prayed, but maybe it was something like "Please help. I'm herding cats here, Lord.  I'm tired. Be with Kate..."  Another minute went by and then I felt a supernatural peace come over me.  It was for sure the peace that passes all understanding.  Chaos all around me, you were not tolerating your TOBI treatment, and then I felt this calm peace come over me.  I know you felt it too, Kate, because then you calmed right down, layed there for a couple minutes, and went to sleep.  I cried.  Did he really just answer my prayer in such a sweet, easy way?  Absolutely.

A friend on Facebook posted this Matt Redman song yesterday, and it was such an encouragement to me.  How many days do we go through that we know in our heads that God is with us but it completely misses our hearts?  It happens to me often.  I know that I know that He is faithful, that He is with us, and that we never walk alone. Sometimes it's just good to hear it again and again and again, and then it sinks deep into our hearts. 

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Carried by Your constant grace

Held within Your perfect peace

Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace

Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise

Sweet Kate, our month of TOBI has begun.  *sigh.  But, I can sit with you and watch you and know that we are not alone.  God is with you, Kate.  You are breathing in his grace, and we'll always breathe out his praise.  Always.  In every situation.