Waiting game

2:05 p.m. Today's project is to wait on the prognosis for Pavel, our future son-in-law. He was initially diagnosed with low vision due to dry macular degeneration, but a more knowledgeable opthamalogist determined the condition is retinal dystrophy, which can lead to blindness. Therapeutic contact lenses are helping, along with very high-grade Shaklee eye health supplements. Heidi believes his deterioration is leveling off. We hope so.

The 7:15 examination in Baldwin Hills, with Kaiser's top eye specialist, will determine the extent of eventual blindness and its progression. Lord, let it not be so, I pray! Many family and friends are in prayer today, and we are all so grateful for their love and diligence to bring Pavel before God's throne in supplication!

Of course, right now I am on pins and needles, so grateful not to just be sitting here weeping uncontrollably. Naturally, as a mother I want to hear the results from my Heidi right now, but she and Pavel may not even be out of the consulting room yet. And I need to realize that the two of them will need to process the news first privately--that's only right. The next tier of sharing will be with his parents and us.

As I look at the lovely picture of those two, I am thinking of their wedding at Kimberly Crest in Redlands where the picture was taken. There are so many implications a poor diagnosis would bring! Should the wedding take place over a year from now as planned? Last night, when Heidi and I both confessed that we are scared, I said, "We'll have to be sure Pavel sees you in your gown, so he'll always have that memory." She agreed, but we'll wait and see. Wait on the diagnosis, then see what God actually allows to happen.

The difference between prognosis and God's intervention has happened to so many believers and their families that I could write several messages from my 30 years as a Christian alone!! God is not limited by anything any specialist says, because as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told Nebuchadnezzer as they prepared to step into the fiery furnace, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us..." HE IS ABLE, there is no doubt in any believer's mind. But God does work with the laws of nature that He set into motion, and sometimes Christians are given, or allowed, difficult trials and devastating diseases. I am a cancer survivor myself, and my husband Steve's Alzheimer's is advancing daily-- slowly, but despite all medical, behavioral and "natural health" approaches, his disease is advancing. No sense being in denial.

Heidi just texted me that there is no news yet. Steve and I have a big sub sandwich from Albertsons ready if they come by in time for dinner, but they may stop at his parents and then come here. I pray that God's love and peace will pour over all of our hearts! Pavel's family are also born-again Christians, who attend Harvest. We will share comfort and assurance from both of our long marriages, having gained spiritual strength from the many trials all families

experience.

The Lord led me to call Pavel's mom just now, and we had a very blessed conversation. The two of us shared the dreams we have for our children --they have five children, 3 boys and two girls also! We wholeheartedly agree that our Heidi and Pavel are a "match made in heaven." Steve and I will be meeting Rodica and Constantine for the first time on Sunday afternoon at their "ranchito," I guess you'd call it, in the La Sierra neighborhood in west Riverside. They raise chickens and turkeys, and she supplies me with fresh eggs each week. They have an orchard and Constantine raises bees. We just received a jar of orange blossom honey yesterday, yum! I'll also pick Rodica's brains about my tomatoes, and perhaps we can set a date to have Pavel's dad help Steve repair our fence. They're our kind of people!!

Heidi just texted me, and the diagnosis seems to be retinitis pigmentosa, where there's a worsening every ten years, rather than a steady decline. Perhaps that is a bit of good news, but I'll know more when she and Pavel get here!

Whatever the outcome, we have raised our daughter to know and trust God, and to go forward in Jesus' Name, for He said, in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."