Godly Connections

Does God plan out our life?  I don't think so, but I don't know for sure.  I do believe we can find God in all, even the bad, if we only look hard enough within ourselves.

Today is Ash Wednesday and thus begins the Lenten season.  A time for reflection, preparation, to find the Empire within us and our lives, and prepare to reject the Empire and live for the Kingdom of God.

Today, my husband was asked to perform a procedure.  No big deal.  But this procedure is medically, emotionally, and possibly morally difficult.  It needs to be done for the patient to live.  But it has many layers of complexity.  And depending upon your moral (or religious) beliefs, it shouldn't be done.

And yet....today is the beginning of Lent.  It is Ash Wednesday.  It is the time of preparation and reflection.  And maybe, just maybe, on today of all days, I can believe God has a plan.

12 years ago he participated in a procedure, a horrific one, a life saving absolutely necessary one, a life changing one.  Observing that procedure confirms that Friday's procedure MUST be done to prevent the necessity of that other horrific procedure.  Without that life changing procedure, he might not do this weeks procedure.

11 year ago we suffered a great loss.  An emotionally, physically, marriage shaking loss.  He can now empathize with his patient in a unique way.  And further understands the need for the procedure.

7 years ago he had a mid-career crisis, causing him to completely change his field of specialty.  Without that change, he would not be in the unique position to help this patient.

in training he observed this procedure about 3 times.  It is an uncommon procedure.  Something he never thought he would need to do.  But he has seen it done, and more than once.

There probably isn't anyone else in this area capable of performing this procedure.  Without him here, the patient would have to go out of town for the procedure, something you really don't want to do when your life is on the line.  You want family, friends, your support group available.  And because he is here, with the above experiences, he will be able to answer the call to help and treat and heal.

Is that God's plan?  I don't believe God plans misery for people.  But I do believe that since things occur, we can find God within the healing, and maybe given the circumstances, find God in the simple healing of a patient by a doctor who not only is capable of performing the necessary but also in understanding the pain and loss.