Hope

He looked at me with those big brown eyes and said, "We have been through a lot, you and Dad and I and God." It was one of those times when I wonder looking back if I should have said something. Maybe I should have tried to explain why that happens sometimes or asked him how he felt about it. But there was something in the way he said it. It was not a question, it was said without bitterness or sadness or regret. It simply was. The statement is so much wiser than his eight little years. He was right, we had been through a lot but he recognized that God had been right there too. Liam never faltered that God loved him, wanted the best for him and that with Him there was our hope.

Today, is the first Sunday of Advent. It is the day my dad puts on his outdoor Christmas lights, the day we start to sing Christmas songs at our Sunday service and the day we light the first candle on our advent wreath. There are many traditions that we as a family have developed and participate in around Christmas time.

This time and my conversation with Liam has reminded me of how important it is to cherish God in all that we do. Not so long ago, my wonderful husband bought me a book that was written about just that purpose. The book is called "Treasuring God in Our Traditions". I loved the book and Noel Piper, who is the author does a great job of helping the reader cast their own vision for a God-centered home and family. In her chapter that is specifically about Christmas, she poses some questions that I have been pondering this afternoon.

"Do others see why we celebrate? How will our home look if our celebration is a picture of anticipation and waiting for God's plan to be completed, a picture of joy in the salvation he has begun for us? What visible things will fill our house as we celebrate what God has done through Jesus?"

They are the type of questions that can be skimmed over easily, but if you really think about them, they are are the questions that can make you stop and honestly ask, Hmm. How does our house look different? Do our children notice a difference? Can they tell that God is being cherished. That He is our treasure. Our hope?

Today's advent candle was the candle of hope. As we lit the candle we were guided to remember the hope we have in Christ. Our friends, Shelly and Patrick and their beautiful daughter Taylor lit the candle today at church. They read "Hope is like a light shining in a dark place. As we look at the light of this candle we celebrate the hope we have in Jesus Christ." I want our house to be a light shining in our dark neighbourhood. I want this Christmas season to be a reflection of who we are, of who created and now sustains us. I want those who love us to know that we have been through a lot and God never left our side and He is our hope.

Everyday for the rest of this season I will be reading, praying and sharing what God is continuing to teach me about the season of Advent and Christmas.

A Post From Liam

Life since we have been home has been busy with our usual craziness and Liam's continued care of physio and rest. Thanks to everyone who has been sending comments, notes, meals and their love. Liam wanted to let you know how he is doing so the rest of this post is dictated from him.

Hi everybody it is Liam. I am feeling better and getting stronger everyday. My head still jiggles with fluid and I have been bugging my mom by making it jiggle. She does not like this. Today, I went back to McMaster Children's hospital. I took another bible to the 3F clinic to leave in the waiting room because the last one I put there is gone! Yeah! Please pray with me that someone takes this one too. I also brought a special Life Application Bible for Dr. Singh. I wrote in the bible a note for her and I marked a special passage that reminds me of my surgery. I read her this passage from Mark 8:22-25,

"They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly."

I told her this reminded me that sometimes Jesus takes two times for stuff to get fixed. Jesus never says why that happens. Dr. Singh said she was going to photocopy the passage and post it in her office to remind her. Please pray that she will read more of the bible than just the part I showed her. I also gave her a batch of chocolate chip cookies that I baked with my dad and my brother and sister.

Dr. Singh said my head looked good and they did not have to take a needle and drain it again like they did last Friday. She decided to keep in my stitches until next Tuesday. I don't have to wear my big bandage around my head anymore and I am excited!

Thanks for commenting, my mom and dad show me what everyone says. Have a great day!

Contentment of the First Snowfall

Last Wednesday, the day we brought Liam home from the hospital, was also the day of our first snow fall here in Milton. The flakes began to fall late in the afternoon and although we did not receive a lot of snow, by evening it was enough to cover the gardens, the grass and collect on all the branches of the trees. Everything was covered in a clean white blanket. When the streetlights came on, the snow actually glistened in the light as it fell to the ground. As I looked out my front window, I probably let out an audible sigh. I love the first snowfall of the year. I love the crisp chill in the air and the way that those beautiful ice crystals can make everything look like all is right with the world. Everything looks content under a blanket of white. It was perfect that this winter event coincided with Liam's homecoming. We were all home under one roof once again.



This weekend I have been thinking about contentment. Pastor Jim has been preparing messages on Philippians and we have been really pulling the passages apart in our bible study with the worship team. I missed meeting with this great group of people while we were in the hospital with Liam and it was a blessing to be with them again this past Thursday night. We are coming to the end of Philippians and we are in the last chapter. Whenever our little group gets together we always look at the context and then we usually start by asking if there was anything that stuck out for anyone or any questions that arose while we were reading the passage.



Well, as I was reading Chapter 4 this weekend I was struck by verse 19. "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (NASB) It is a pretty famous passage and I think it is often just thought of as God supplying physical needs. And although in light of our current circumstances it would seem that God has provided physical healing for Liam I think that in looking at the passage with the backdrop of verses 11-13 He has taught me so much more. "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Although I am sure I have not mastered all of what Paul was talking about in the passage I have learned some lessons on being content. Despite the circumstances of these past few weeks I think I felt contentment. God supplied my need by strengthening me, in my weakness to cope with not being able to physically help my son. In reality I could do nothing. I think that it would have been very easy in this situation to become discouraged, to despair and maybe even to doubt God's intentions for my life. But that did not happen. Were their moments when I faltered? Of course. There were moments when I was scared to death. Each time though when I was at my weakest, scripture would flood my heart, or God would impress upon one of your hearts to write a comment, to email, or to pray. I would be reminded once again that God loved me so much that He sent His own Son to die on the cross for my sins. How could God go to such lengths to preserve my life and not still be for me? The only possible conclusion is that is always has and will be for us, even when circumstances try to tell us differently. Thank-you for the role that everyone of you who ready this blog played in this very important lesson.



As I look forward to this week, the weather reports are predicting snow for everyday and I am looking forward to seeing the pristine blanket of snow once again!

Liam is Home - Some Picture Memories

We made it home yesterday with Liam safe and sound! Everyone was very excited to see him. He is doing really well. He can walk short distances around the house without assistance. Stairs can still be a bit of challenge but again he does great with someone helping him. A physiotherapist will come to our house once a week to check his progress and some equipment will be delivered to our house today to make life a bit easier for Liam until he gets his strength back. For example if you see us out and about Liam will have a walker for a bit but with the way he has been progressing I am sure he will not need it for long.

It was often a bit of challenge to get posts up at the hospital so some most of our pictures never made it. We thought we would just post a few of our faves.

This is Uncle Brandon (Jason's brother) and Liam playing a Wii boxing game, the day before Liam's second surgery. It got a bit competitive and I was laughing so much I can't even remember who won! I am sure they do! Liam already had the cheerios (we are sure there is a medical term for these, which we have forgotten) placed all over his head for the image guided surgery the next day.

This is Liam and Jason right before heading into the operating room for round number two! We are actually in the operating suite patient waiting room. Liam's surgery was so special that they had arranged for it to start before all the other surgeries of the day, so it was just us and the medical staff. Liam did a great job of being brave and so did his Dad! I found it a bit harder to say goodbye the second time around.

This photo was taken this past Monday. Five days post surgery. Liam is finally able to stand some light and consents to posing for the camera.

Below are photos of in the hospital. The first is Liam's special wheelchair with the head rest. Thank-you Heather for his special licence plate. We did not need to hunt for his chair after we put that on. It also brought about a lot of smiles as parents and patients walked by and smiles bring about rays of sunshine on the ward. The next two photos are of Liam's room, with cards, scriptures and balloons. Finally, the last photo is of Liam sitting in his wheelchair eating his favourite meal in the whole world. Vietnamese beef noodle soup! Thank-you to Cheri and Gerald for bringing him the real deal just to cheer him up! As you can see the lunch the hospital gave him was left to the side of the table.

This last photo, I took yesterday as we waited for Liam's paperwork so he could be released. He is all dressed and ready to go. Around his neck are the bravery beads that he earned while he was in the hospital. Each beads represents a procedure or test that Liam had to have and it tells the story of his journey. Since they did not have beads that represented what God has done we will be heading off to pick some out (when Liam is feeling better) so that His necklace can really be complete.

Thank-you again for all of you that have prayed, posted comments, hugged us, prayed some more and visited. We are printing every comment and prayer and saving them in a beautiful leather book that we brought for Liam. It is something that will be a precious gift and reminder for him in years to come. All of you are a part of what God did in Liam's life. We will be forever grateful.

One Last Night

Well this is just a quick post to say that everything is looking good for Liam coming home tomorrow!!! We still have some photos and thoughts to share and so will get some of those posted in the next few days.
Thanks to everyone who has been praying.

Each New Day

Well you never really know what each new day will bring. When I (Jason) arrived at the hospital this morning Kim and Liam let me know that he wasn't feeling great. He had vomited once early this morning and spent most of the night going back and forth to the washroom. They think that he may have picked up a bit of a bug while here. They are keeping him for one more day to get rid of the sickness. He seems to be doing much better however, and has had some breakfast and lunch with no problems. The plan is still to be home earlier than first expected and they think that it will happen tomorrow.

A Better Day

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

As Kimberley was home with Daniel, Caroline and TJ last night I (Jason) got to spend the night at the hospital with Liam. It had been a pretty rough day as his body adjusted to the change in medications, but by the evening we were seeing some signs of improvement and some reasons for celebration. The nurse let us know that he was not scheduled for blood work and so there would be no need for any more needles. Today, which started without needles, ended up being a much better day. Liam's body seemed to have adjusted and so he had his appetite back, he was able to get up and go for walks and we even saw some smiles and heard some laughs. Toward the end of the day we received our biggest surprise. His nurse informed us that she had spoken with Dr. Singh his surgeon and Dr. Singh suggested that based on how well Liam is doing, and how well he adjusted today that there is a chance that Liam might be released from the hospital tomorrow. We have learned to take each day at a time, not to get too excited and that we never know what tomorrow may look like, but it would be amazing if he were to be able to come home so soon. We had been praying about having needles and started out today celebrating that he didn't have to have one. We never imagined that we would be considering the possibility of going home. It is so true that God is able to do more than all we ask or imagine!