This Side of Heaven

Yesterday my youngest daughter had her first child. It was a day filled with anticipation, not just because it was her first but she was a week late and seemed to be having trouble with going into labor. Everyone was excited when she went in on Monday morning at 8:00am but the labor dragged out and at 1:10am Tuesday morning the doctor said she still had another 8 hours to go. Her mother and I left to get some sleep, not knowing when the call would come.

She and her husband were exhausted by the long ordeal and glad to get some rest as they, with nervous excitement, anxiously awaited their daughter's arrival. The call came at 6:30am that she was ready to push. I had to go to work and the hospital was on the way so I got ready and went to see them. I arrived just after 9:00am. The last text had said she was crowning! Then a picture as I went upstairs to Labor and Delivery. Neriah arrived at 9:12am. But something was wrong.

I went inside to see if I could go in to see them yet and there was my son-in-law in the hallway talking with the nurse and a small fragile figure was in an incubator beside him. I came up to ask and listen. She had swallowed some meconium tinged amniotic fluid as she was being delivered, a condition called MAS (Meconium Aspiration Syndrome). This was serious as she was having difficulty breathing and was being moved to NICU. She looked healthy but clearly was in distress, her chest hiccupping as she took each breath. They rushed her off with her dad behind her.

I went in to see my daughter. She looked much more comfortable now but had a worried look on her face. She knew the tiny baby inside her had struggled to enter the world and in doing so, stumbled a bit and now needed more than she could provide. My daughter longed to hold her, that initial bonding moment between the two being denied by the urgency of the situation. They hadn't even had time to weigh or measure her before rushing out.

My daughter, wanting to be strong, smiled and said she felt good. We talked about the delivery and the concern for the baby. Dad came back in the room and told us what the doctor had said. She needed to be observed for a time to be sure that her lungs would clear. It was precautionary at this time. Her vitals were within range and they had started Oxygen and an IV. We talked for a time and then I asked if we could go see her. The nurse said it should be OK so with Mom's blessing, Dad and I went off to see our tiny new family member.

Getting to NICU, we scrubbed and gowned and went in. Neriah looked so tiny in that large neonatal bed, with tubes in her arm and mouth and nose. She softly cried as she tried to move and she opened her eyes when Dad gently stroked her leg. He looked older now, this new responsibility firmly landing on his shoulders. I knew he was ready but when you first step into those new shoes, they feel so big. And with this added burden of MAS, he was clearly feeling the weight. I could see the love in his eyes for his baby daughter. He had been fully involved in the pregnancy, always attentive to Mom's needs and wanting to feel the kicks and hear the heartbeats. Now he was able to shower that love on her in person and she felt it too, responding to his voice and touch. He told her he loved her and prayed quietly for healing. It was a picture of God's love for us, imperfect and weak as we are, being touched by His love and us responding to that touch.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, knit together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13-14). But this does not mean we will be perfect, without spot or blemish. This world is flawed, due to our sin, and things happen that we will not understand until we pass through the veil into His presence. But we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28) and there is a purpose for this current struggle. We will take one day at a time and we will see the Glory of God in this trial one day. Suffering produces hope for the kingdom of God. "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:3-5 NLT)

All the while we pray for full restoration, "For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37 NIV).

It is too early to know the full outcome of this challenge to our newest family member and what the future will bring. I do know that God is in control and He will give us all the strength we need to carry our share of this load if we just trust in Him. Here is where Faith and Science come together. God has given us the knowledge to use His creation to improve the lives of those who need help. In my granddaughter's case, she needs Oxygen and IVs. She also needs mechanical aids that just a few years ago were not available. She has an improved chance to make it through this unscathed due to the scientific advances man has made. But her life and all of our lives are in God's hands and He will ultimately control the end result. He has given us tools to do our part in the greater work of His plan for our lives and we will trust Him for the rest.