Apologies for the delay in updating – Thanksgiving and the week since have been keeping us busy with healthy, happy normalcy. Maggie is feeling great – no discernible side effects yet. She did have a follow-up visit with her urologist in town. We’ve been keeping an eye on two stones, one of which has been causing a concerning level of back pressure to the kidney. Although she is in absolutely no discomfort, the long term effect on the kidney makes it advisable for her to have another scope procedure for removal/possible stent/possible disintegration. This will take place week after next at Hattiesburg Clinic. The scheduling is due to the UAB treatment this coming Thursday (Dec 8) and our need to advise the clinical trial staff of this development to gain clearance from them. We’re praying for the stone to stay in place or pass without pain. Otherwise, Maggie is quite busy with performances tonight and tomorrow night in TBC’s Christmas program as an angel. I’m still finding random shards of glitter throughout the house from last year’s productions – occupational hazard associated with being an angel, I guess. I do believe glitter is eternal and indestructible.

One lesson being part of Maggie’s story has taught me is there are no coincidences – only moments we can choose to take a deeper glimpse for a wider picture or ignore the potential of holy moments. The choice is ours. Today, I ran a 10K in the misery of cold, drenching rain to support the Children’s Cancer Center at Batson (where heroes meet – both patients and staff). We finished the race and headed straight down Highland Colony Parkway to Fusion – a coffee shop. We entered with two women who had also taken part in the races. We spoke and continued to share small talk related to our common cause – Batson. One woman shared with us her son (seven months old) is currently recovering from his second of three planned heart procedures at Batson for a congenital defect. She wanted to get out this morning and do something to support this special place. I told her my daughter had been a patient in the Cancer Center. She casually asked me for her name. My response of “Maggie” drew a look of interest from her. She said, “We’re praying for a Maggie who has been treated there.” Really? What are the chances it is our Maggie? She told me neighbors had shared about a friend who needed prayer. Her neighbors? Our dear friends Donny and Donna Bowman. The Maggie she’s praying for? Our Maggie! We all celebrated the sweet holiness of an incredible “bringing together” at the hands of a Father who delights to help His children meet. What’s funny is the only “Christian” word used in our conversation was “pray”. But that confirming Spirit shared ONLY when believers meet and experienced repeatedly by my family during Maggie’s story (with nurses, doctors, and strangers now friends) was ALL over Fusion. We went our separate ways (to find warm, dry clothes) with promises to pray for Maggie and John.

And now for the rest of the story….. Phil called Donny to tell him about our meeting. Donny shared what I knew – they are a sweet, young family with a sick little boy. But he also shared this – my new friend and her husband had been planning to go to the mission field right after John’s birth. The illness changed those plans. My first impression of her was she is so young to be handling her son’s illness with composure and strength. My impression of her now is she is so young to be handling the death of a dream with grace and peace. My day started with a bracing run and unexpected encounter but is ending with the warm reminder of God’s unfailing promise to take discarded dreams to form the soil for new visions.

Thank you for praying – wherever you are tonight. And keep dreaming.