It's safe to say that life has been quite the "full plate" of happenings lately. On Friday (July 1st), my Grandma Alice had a massive stroke and was rushed to the hospital. She was 
in a coma (completely unresponsive) and declared brain dead. The doctors moved her to the critical care unit and placed her on life support. The prognosis was obvious – we needed to start planning her funeral because she would not survive the weekend. We hoped, we prayed – but we planned nonetheless. This has been quite an emotional roller coaster. My family went through the typical feelings of wishing we had more time and for some of us, regret. It's amazing how all of life's "important" things get put completely on the back burner when tragedy strikes. We reevaluate, reexamine, rethink…reap.
My family talked to my grandma and hoped that, despite her coma, she could hear us lifting her up in prayer and wrapping her up in love. My mom and I left the hospital late Saturday. My dad stayed with her through the night hoping and praying for a miracle, for more time, for some physical response from her indicating that she could hear him – he left disappointed. After getting a few hours of sleep – he went back to the hospital around 7:00am on Sunday. The nurse practically ran toward him as he got off the elevator. He said that she looked like she'd just won a million dollars. She grabbed his arm and enthusiastically said, "Pastor King – you are not going to believe this: your mom is sitting up and talking…she's asking for you…she keeps trying to get out of bed."
A miracle had come.
The doctors have made it clear to my family that there is no medical reason whatsoever that my grandma is alive and communicating as well as she is. She's still disoriented and frail…but able to talk…able to listen. They've also made it clear that they have no idea what's going on with her health or how to medically treat it. This is a very frustrating situation for us, obviously. The hospital has grown quite indifferent to the situation and is moving toward sending my grandma home (she lives with my parents) in a few days. The problem with this is that the hospital, while indifferent, has stressed over and over again that my grandma's swift "recovery" is more than likely temporary. They anticipate this lucidness to be a "window". They've told my dad numerous times to continue to expect another stroke or other fatal response but have offered no proactive solutions to monitor or prolong this from happening. We're taking everything literally hour by hour right now. Please pray for my family in all of this…the mental and emotional exhaustion are taking their toll.
As I was lying in bed last night thinking, I continued processing all of the past few day's events. It completely felt like all of this had been going on for weeks when, in reality, it had only been four days. I've seen God answer so many prayers throughout my life…so I won't tell you that this has been a wake up call for me. It certainly doesn't go unnoticed either. I am literally in an almost continual state of awe when it comes to God. He has always been in the miracle business. I don't deserve His love…but that never stops Him from pouring it all over my life.
The fourth of July was different this year. As the nation united in celebration over its independence…another notion consumed my mind and heart. I'm tired of being independent. I'm tired of hearing, seeing and being told that we deserve to be independent. Songs proclaim it; movies demonstrate it and our society swiftly consume our youth to believe that we should answer to no one. I'm certainly not anti-patriotic. I am grateful to live in America. But…the past few days have reminded me that I am proud to be dependent on God. I'm committed to keep leaning and learning…I'm too prone to wander when I'm independent.
As the days continue to pass I'm unsure of what will come. I'm still worried about my grandma and my parents. I don't know where I'm going to be living in 3 weeks (no apartment or anything lined up) in Gainesville, GA. I don't know when I'm going to be able to have surgery on my knee and ankle so that I'm not in pain. I am still $500 short of my monthly support goal.
And I'm totally okay with that because God is still in the miracle business.
