Mom Speaks!!!

“Trust and Joy in the Midst of Trouble”

Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vine, though the produce of the olive fails, and fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes tread upon the heights. Habakkuk3:17-19

Beloved saints, my heart overflows with love and gratitude for all you have done for the DeVries family in this “midst of trouble.” As I sit quietly in Our Little Corner while Matt and Deb wait upstairs for medical rounds (Christian is in the Cave), I struggle to wrap my mind around what has transpired these last five days. I seem to have blank spaces in memory. I hear your voices…Pat you need to eat something, you need to sleep, drink some water. I have been unable to make even the simplest of decisions. I hear the voices of Ray’s doctors and caregivers. Their mouths move, sounds come out, but what they are saying doesn’t register in my mind. The only thing I see and know is my beloved Raymond is broken and wounded and I am unable to hold in my arms. I can’t hear his gentle voice and feel his tender touch.

I sit here and tears are streaming down my face and then I look up and PrayingJoe walks out of the chapel and smiles at me. He is getting ready to begin his rounds as a security guard for the hospital. He walks around and reaches out to me and tells me he has just lifted Ray up in pray once again. PrayingJoe shares a little and tells me about his life and when he was lost and how his life is today. His heart is full of love for the Lord. He tells me that daily he reminds himself “who he belongs to.” In his gentle quiet manner, he begins to put me at ease and the tears stop. My head begins to clears and the fog begins to lift.

PrayingJoe leaves me with these words: “When I was lost, I wasn’t able to think clearly and I made stupid choices…regretful choices. But I am not lost anymore and now I can (and choose to) rejoice in the Lord every moment of the day.” PrayingJoe grasps my hand, smiles, reminds me he is praying for Ray and goes off to work.

The fog is clearing and I am drawn to Scripture. I open my Bible to Ray and my anchor Scripture verses found in Habakkuk. I can hear Ray’s voice in my ear, I feel his hand in mine and his arm around me as he stands firm in those words. He reminds me gently in my spirit that these words of assurance have brought us though many trials and they will get us through this trial. I hear him asking, “Who loves you Pat?” (It’s a game we play.) I say, “You do of course.” Once again, he says, “Who loves you Pat? Who really loves you?” I answer, “God, my Heavenly Father.” He says, “Bingo…you win the prize! Now let’s get out from under our circumstances and begin to do some rejoicing in the Lord. Let’s praise God for all his faithfulness in the past. Let’s get on with getting on. Let’s get on with living….[Ray loves Red from Shawshank Redemption].”

The time has come for the “Cedars of Lebanon” (Christian and Matthew) to spread their branches and resume their God ordained calling as husbands, fathers and return to their respective calling. This last week, their branches wrapped tightly around me, sustained me, comforted me, cried with me, scolded me and always loved me.

Thank you my sons, thank you my daughters, thank you Kings and Princesses (our grandchildren) for allowing you husband and daddy to take care of Pappy Razor and Puckie this last week. I love you with all my heart.

JESUS, LET YOUR BEAUTIFUL PRESENCE ALWAYS BE WITH US!!!!

Mom