Friday Afternoon - A Josiah Update

Hey Everyone

I've step out to have a coffee and snack, and felt I should post a little something here just so you all can stay in the loop. Yesterday was a very busy day for me (in and out of Abbotsford) and so that's why there wasn't a new entry to greet you until now.

Josiah is doing well. He's been mostly sleeping for last two hours, just like his mommy. Marie's been getting up early to be with Josiah during his awake moments, but we're still going to bed around the same time so she really needed this nap.

Josiah continues to need less suctions for his secretions and while I don't think it's fair to say yet that the doctors are optimistic, I do sense they are shedding the urgency in which to get things done. Lets face it: Josiah's only 41 weeks gestational age - give him some time!

We have put Josiah in a harness which has helped a lot. He can still squirm and have full motion of his limbs, but he's not going, because he's snuggly attached to the crib. Hopefully this will help minamize any potential self-inflicted injuries. Ah the power of velcro ...

I know a few of you have wondered out loud why Josiah was able to breathe during his first week and has been having a hard time since. Well, it seems this is a common occurance with infants who have respiratory struggles. Apperantly it's easier for an infant to breathe during their first week, but as the body develops 'toning' sets in the body tissue and organs get firmer and thus more difficult to breathe for those who have abnormal respiratory systems. That's your medical tidbit for the day :)

Song for the moment (actually, it's been the over-arching song of the last two weeks) is "Overwrought" by Don Chauffer and Derek Webb from Songs from the Voice #1: Please Don't Make Us Sing This Song. As you may have just noticed, this is the first time I've referenced a song lyric ;) It's a fantastic CD for all the songs are NLT-version psalms (both praise & laments). For the most part of the week I was resonating more with the questions than the resolution, but over the last couple of days it is that conviction that I have been soaring with.

Why am I so overwrought?
Why am I so disturbed?
Why can't I just hope in God?
Despite all my emotion I will believe and praise
The One who saves me and is my Life

Ah, music. I'm not one who hugely leans into or goes running to my CD file when things are either up or down, but I do find some comfort in lyrics that bridge into my life. A couple of songs that Marie and I have really been clinging to and been finding in our headspace during this time are Downhere's "Calmer of the Storm" and Casting Crowns "Praise You in This Storm". Good reminders of God's promises there.

And just because I feel like it, here is a list of lyrics that I have referred to over the weeks with the performer, just in case your interested (it might be an incomplete list as I'm doing this off the top of my head):

"Don't worry. The best won't get the worst of us." - Mute math

"It takes some time to see things through. Sometimes things change, sometimes you're waiting. It takes grace either way. So hold onto me, and I'll hold onto you. Let's find out the beauty in seeing things through." - Sarah Groves

"You never know what temporal days may bring, so laugh, love, live free, and sing. When life is in discord praise ye the Lord." - Anberlin

"I'm a believer, help me believe." "Let your love be strong enough to weather through the thunder cloud." - Switchfoot

Thanks to our visitors over the last couple of days: Rob D., Joanne L., Laura & Naomi R., and Lori E.

A final thought before I wrap this up: I've been convinced over the last couple of days that God wants it to be known that HE is the healer and will heal Josiah. It's really easy to communicate via this blog or to Christian friends and family our faith in God and our conviction that God will heal him, but it's a whole lot different when we have the opportunity to state our certainly when we're chatting it up with those who don't know Christ.

I sense that we just have to get the word out there, that God is going to heal our boy. Once those words are uttered and they enter the ears (and minds and hearts) of those not living with Christ, we have no control over how God is going to respond. That's completing up to him - exactly the way it's suppose to be! Why should we 'save guard' ourselves and God by sharing our certaintly only with followers of Christ: the not-yet-followers need to hear this stuff even more!

Quite simply, we have the responsibility to voice our certainty that God is going to heal our Josiah and than it's fully up to God to respond to that proclamation. In the end, it's not our reputation on the line: it has and always will be God's reputation and He wants his reputation to be sparkling and wonderous and He wants it to be known that he works beyond the ways of modern medicine and natural development: sometimes God will do the completely unexpected and impossible, and that by the way is called a miracle.

It's time to hang with Josiah again! Thanks again for the incredible devotion and care you have demonstrating to our family, but especially to our boy Josiah whom most of you haven't (and may never) meet. It's has been humbling, mind-blowing, and encouraging everytime I consider it.

May God's love be near to you all, as it's been near to us!
- Andrew, Marie & Josiah