Chapter 226: God's Mercies in Picky-Chox

 In case you have not heard, the Webber's have started 2013 off in unexpected way: CHICKENPOX! Or as Lucy calls them, "picky-chox"! Somehow, our precious Olive contracted the virus and has been in misery for nearly a week. Praise the Lord we are turning a corner and I am seeing bright rays of my girl's shining face coming through the dark clouds of the last few days... thank you SO much to those of you who have been praying for us and offering to help. I really can not convey what that has meant to us.

On that note, I did want to take a moment and share what I think God is teaching us through this ordeal (which really seems miniscule compared to some friends who have a child with cancer or another whose husband is unexpectedly facing a kidney transplant...).  

Bad things happen. They just do.  

Why does God allow bad things to happen when He has the ability to easily prevent them? 

 I'm not sure completely, but one reason I believe is so that we will know His mercies and goodness even deeper than if we had not endured the trial of the bad. 

I have had some sleepless nights with babies before, but none in which I have been up ALL night cradling a child who is in pain and unable to do much to help them. I've mended a scraped knee, kissed the goose-egg on a bumped head, or put a cold washcloth on a feverish child. But I haven't been at a loss in knowing how to even hold my child without making her sore-covered body feel even worse than it is. Yet, with as bad as it has been, I've thought a number of times, "What if this had happened when we were in Uganda?" and "How do the mamas there endure worse trials than this, with limited medication, and often ending in their children's demise?" I truly do not know how one would get through such a trial, but I know this:

my few days' exposure to a baby with chickenpox makes me empathize even more with the mamas whose children have much worse...

And then there is the blessing of YaYa. YaYa is my mom, who swiftly came to the rescue Sunday evening when we decided we need the help of a professional mama who had handled the travesty of having multiple children with chickenpox at one time (and hey- hats off to ALL YOU MOMS who endured the same when we were little!!!! You deserve at least a trophy or something). Derek's mom, Grammie (also a professional mama) would have done the same thing if the chickenpox had hit last week when she was here. Mom has taken the night-shift for me, let me sleep in in the morning, and even had a cup of coffee and baked apples with brown sugar waiting for me when I awoke. Her blessing to us has truly spoken the mercies of God to my weary soul. And yet, somehow I don't think I would have appreciated her (or everyone else who has extended a helping hand to us) to the depth that I have without the knowledge of knowing that in 6 months I won't be able to make a phone call and have her here in 5hrs, or book a ticket and have Grammie here in just a short plane ride.


Bundibugyo is going to open up a whole new door of trials for us. Daily we will be faced with the question of God's purposes through suffering, and daily we will see Him provide in ways we least expect. In a small way, I am thankful that He has allowed us to endure this trial in starting out 2013. It's just a chapter in the story He's writing, remember? He allows the trials so that we might know even deeper the truth in His words,  

"You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy..." 

(John 16:20) 

 and might be able to extend that same promise to those who desperately need the Hope and Mercy that only Jesus can offer. 

Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus to us, friends. Your prayers have carried us through...

 

This is Life.

{with chickenpox}