After the Story - Choices Like Rivers - Episode 51
After the Story - Choices Like Rivers - Episode 51
This podcast discusses each chapter of Choices Like Rivers and each episode is posted directly after the book episode. This corresponds to Chapter 18 Section 2.
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This is a confrontational section. It opens with Donna being thankful for the growth in their lives, new food, and a growing sense of achievements in their small world.
Then the screams. Adrenaline surges through all three of them as the danger of the moment surfaces. Buddy’s axe has slipped and it struck his leg leaving a gaping wound. He is crying in agony.
Donna is panicked for many reasons. First she can’t get to him and she has to coax him to try and get to her. Then the ‘what ifs’ start. What if he dies, what if he gets sicker, and so on. Even though she cared for Buddy her primary concern was Molly Sue. What if he died and they were left alone?
Molly Sue’s empathy for Buddy surged and she cried and was frightened for him. But in the course of it all, she at her small age was the most solid and stable of the three.
Forced to live in a sheltered environment where she was loved fully and taught daily about Jesus, faith, love, and Godly attributes, she conversed with ‘Baby Jesus’ and knew him in a way that adults usually don’t. It was a pure relationship and she fully trusted in Him. And she heard his voice. There was no ‘grown up noise’ to block it out.
Donna did the best she could for Buddy in her panicked state and limited resources. But God was guiding her all the while. The sterilization, the blanket stitch, not allowing the stitches to get wet. Even though she may not have realized it, He was guiding her.
When it was all over and the adrenaline of the moment was subsiding, she nearly collapsed emotionally. All her suppressed fears resurfaced and nearly brought her to collapse, but then there was Molly Sue right there at the right time. She brought soft and steady comfort to her mother.
There was a time several decades ago when I went through a very difficult divorce. We had not been married very long, but I loved him dearly. Then we had to be separated by a long distance due to work for a period of time.
During that long distance he began to have an affair. When I moved back he said he wanted a divorce. I was shocked having seen no signs of it even after moving back. I tried everything I knew to reconcile, not knowing that he was leaving me for another woman.
The divorce proceeded, and God provided me with daily comfort. I was heartbroken and sorrowful in heart and mind. The move back and subsequent divorce also coincided with loss of job, physical illness, and several other life altering events.
Step by step, day by day, God was graciously faithful and brought me through. It was not a quick process and other emotional blows came during that time that would set me back temporarily.
To add to the trauma, God made it very clear that he wanted me to pray for the marriage, then to just pray for my ex spouse. So I did. Praying in that way, fervently praying, causes one's heart to stay tender towards the person you are praying for. It made the healing process take even longer.
I prayed for my ex for three long years. About year two I had the opportunity to buy a newer house that had a beautiful backyard. It was a paradise. I would come home from work and go straight to the backyard and just bask in the beauty and presence of God.
One day I noticed that every day a cardinal would come and sit on the electrical wire running along in the back alley. He would just sit there and sing to me.
The first time I noticed it I cherished it. But then I began to realize that he was coming every single day to sing to me. It finally got to the point I realized this was not a coincidence. I fully believe that God was sending the cardinal to sing to me to comfort me.
Here in this scene with Donna and Molly Sue we see the cardinal come and sing a song of comfort to them.
I am certain that each day there are these subtle yet profound moments that God orchestrates for us, yet often we never notice. They are everywhere should we decide to take notice.
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