As the one I love so much turns the “Big 60” this week, I have to reflect upon a time that I really thought I had lost him in this world. The miracle we were allowed to be a part of was the most amazing thing that has ever happened to us as individuals, as a couple, and as a family. We found out what it really means to be a part of a real family (community). But most importantly we found out how God creates modern day miracles through amazing people! Please read and reflect on what miracle you have experienced this week!
Modern Day Miracles
You do not know who you do not have,
Until you are made to imagine what it would be like without that one soul.
Your greatest fears well up inside of you.
You move into a panic mode.
Your heart hurts more than you thought it could ever hurt.
You are just in a state of unbelief.
You are in a state of denial.
You feel the soul at the tip of your fingers.
That soul is trying to hold on, but slipping away.
You have to ask “What did they smell like?” when they were near you.
“What did their clothing feel like?”
“Where are their shoes that you so want to trip over?”
These are the hard questions that one has to face as this soul slips away.
These take you to a place you do not want to go.
What if you have to go on without them?
You see those around you and closest to you hurt with pain in their hearts.
They fear never hearing that voice
Or having that conversation with that soul again.
They fear having only half a soul instead of a full soul.
You see the one whose hand you hold fight.
They are fighting on a different plane.
The plane between the present, future, and past.
They wrestle with their position.
They fight.
They ask for help.
Then they rest again. Quiet. Calm.
One day turns into another, but not quickly-slowly.
You wait for that one moment to visit.
The one moment to caress the soul’s arms and legs.
The one moment to tell them about your day.
Not that your day is more important,
But that together you have always shared the day.
It is the sensing of each other.
Together you have always shared the simplest things.
The simplest things were always the most profound.
They were yours together.
But no response and no sound from the soul.
Then you want to cry and lay your head on the soul’s shoulder,
But you have to smile.
You have to stay cheerful.
You have to stay positive.
You have to present yourself with hope.
Tubes are everywhere.
You never imagine the human body can have so many holes with tubes-
And still live.
Just about the time you adjust to one nightmare.
Another nightmare emerges itself into the scene.
The doctor says a feeding tube has to be put in.
Another hole. Another tube.
Now you have to think about realms in this world.
The realms that no one wants to think about.
Realms that make you think you may not ever have this soul with you again.
How and where will you and this soul go?
How will you live together?
Will be able to live together ever again?
Times during the wait, you pray for the next step.
You pray your request,
Even though you do not know what that request is.
You pray for God’s wishes.
You pray for strength.
You pray for understanding when days have passed.
Your prayer turns from silence to wails.
You pray for a miracle.
Will God allow a miracle today?
Or will He allow the miracle to happen another day?
Or will He allow a miracle at all in this modern day?
Then out of others and out of the process one realizes God has already showed us the miracle.
The miracle emerges right in front of you.
No one easily sees again.
No one easily walks again.
But the miracle is happening.
The miracle is anyone living every second.
The miracle is anyone living every moment of every single day.
The miracles are those that love you.
The miracles are the souls that hold you so close.
Those that wrap you in their love.
They provide for you and your family.
Those that tell the stories about this special one.
Those that sit in silence with you.
The miracle souls of the community visit the one fighting.
They talk to him.
They share with him the moments of their lives.
They encourage this one to fight.
They pray for him.
They cry for him.
They laugh for him.
With the miracle souls of the community at watch,
The one that has been so quiet starts to stir!
The one starts to awaken-slowly and with each breath.
One word, two words, sentences.
One finger movement, a hand movement, and then body movement.
He awakens slowly but he does awaken.
The miracle has happened!
However, not one miracle, but many.
You see the real miracle is the souls.
The souls of all those who have been on this journey with this one.
The journey taken so this one soul can revive and rejoin the community.
The miracles happen through so many!
So many that know God’s hand is upon us all!
Each one experiences what this soul has experienced.
They all experience this miracle together.
Their hope and belief is God’s mighty hand through them.
So you may ask-
Are there miracles that happen today?
Just ask someone.
Just ask anyone.
They will be glad to share God’s miracle for them with you.
Because where man is so is God.
And where God is so are miracles.
Miracles yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
There will always be miracles.
Whether we witness them is whether we are open to see, feel, or experience them.
And where miracles are there always lies the hope.
Lori Rennae Hickman Chapman
We are so thankful for our family and community—the entire American Karate Academy, the entire Independent Karate Schools of America (from the east coast to the west), Lis and Jeff, Aunt Katie, Uncle JT, The YMCA at Franklin and Concord Road, educators in Williamson County, West Franklin Baptist Church, nurses and doctors at Centennial Medical Center, and on and on! You were certainly the miracles in our lives!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and being with me this week. It took me over 2 years to write about this miracle. I hope you can find the miracles that are happening in your life or be open to the miracles that will happen!
Love,
Rennae
Journey
Seasons for the Soul 