God Bless the Children

We received this news on Monday. My heart goes out to the Andersons. I can't imagine how hard it would be to have to make this kind of decision. We were lucky...our choices were made for us. The fact that they are able to cope with this is more evidence to me of God's love and strength.

I know some might question why God would allow people, especially a child, to suffer like this. I don't know all the reasons why these things happen, I don't like them, but I don't blame God. God didn't bring disease into this world. All he did was give us the ultimate gift of love: freedom of choice. I do know that Caleb and his family have touched many lives with his courage & faith and how they have handled everything.

Even though we have to endure heart breaks like this in life there are so many stories of miracles. Let me tell you one:

Tyler came by Monday afternoon and spent the rest of the day with us. I debated whether or not to tell him. Tyler didn't know Caleb. While we were all outside enjoying the day I watched him going 90-to-nuthin' and couldn't help but remember how he started life: 3 months early, 2 pounds 2 ounces, 10" long (shorter than my forearm), so small his body and head fit in the palm of my hand. He spent the first 3 months of his life in the intensive care unit at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. The doctors told us that if he lived he might be blind, might need open heart surgery to correct a miss-formed valve, might not be able to breath without a ventilator or oxygen mask because his lungs hadn't formed properly...among a book-full of other possible problems. If he survived long enough he might not walk until he was 8 or 9, if ever, and then only after surgery and with corrective shoes and braces.

Now I see this long-legged skinny kid, 125% boy, that runs like the wind, is into EVERYTHING, asks 90 questions an hour, swims like a fish, can outrun most grown men on a bicycle, has enough energy to power about 4 city blocks and a heart of pure gold filled with love and compassion for everything and everybody. Where others might look at the skinned knees and elbows and think he's too rough I look at them and thank God that he has legs and arms that move and is able to go out and skin them. All with no surgery or complications except one slightly lazy eye. Lungs fully developed and a totally healthy heart. I don't have to look very far to see boat loads of God's miracles.

Tyler