Brad,
         While it hurts, I have to say that I do see how the Lord is 
getting a lot of glory in our dealings with Chris.  Our congregation 
consists of mostly older attenders, probably bordering on 
the  depression generation.  Most of them have lost there kids, the 
baby boomer generation to the faith.  Many of them feel like failures 
and have given up trying to evangelize or talk about their faith at 
all because, they are asking themselves,  if they couldn't convince 
their kids, how can they convince anybody?  Also, their generation 
was taught to keep a stiff upper lip and put a good face on things 
so, even when you're burning up, smile and don't 
complain!  GRIN!  Greg and I haven't done that.  We've been 
real.  The people have seen me cry, in public, horror of horrors, 
over our situation and they've seen us pray and continually try knew 
things.  We share the successes, such as our dinner with Chris last 
night, along with our failures.  While I wish it weren't us, I 
believe that our lives have given them some encouragement to continue 
hoping and praying, and in some cases, sharing the hope that is 
within them to others.
         Also, Greg and I have gained a lot of sensitivity which is 
finally moving us, maybe, in a direction, to help others.  We've just 
started doing marriage counselling this week with a couple that is 
really having a tough go of it, but we've been able to come at their 
problems with an attitude of, we're walking with you, not above you 
with all the answers.  They've been responding well and if this 
family does manage to stay together, the Lord be praise for using us 
as instruments of healing.  they've seen us be real and I believe 
that that helps them to be more comfortable.
         I can't help but give God glory and praise when Chris shows 
me what unconditional love looks like and I become amazed that, no 
matter how low I'm willing to go in my love for Chris, Jesus went 
even lower to love and rescue me.  I have learned so much about God's 
love by parenting Chris and I am free in sharing   what I have 
learned with others.  God gets the glory in that as well.
         With my blindness, while I don't really like being this 
example, I know that other people are encouraged to keep trying when 
they see how hard I work to try to master or achieve something.  If 
I, through my weakness, can inspire others to try harder to serve, 
then it is really God who is being served in the end and He receives 
the glory for it.
         Don't get me wrong.  I'd rather be healed.  I'd rather be an 
example of the miraculous power of Jesus Christ.  I get so confused 
by the passages that tell us to, "ask anything in His name."  I ask, 
but do not receive.  It reminds me of the song, "If I were a rich 
man," from the musical, "fiddler on the Roof."  The father asks, 
"Would it spoil some vast eternal plan if I were a wealthy man?  I 
often ask God, "Would it really make such a big difference in your 
vast scheme of things if I could see?"  The singer goes on to lay out 
all the things that he could do if he were rich.  I talk to the Lord 
about all the ways that I could be more affective if I could 
see.  For now, I guess that the Lord's answer is "no."  I don't know 
if it is because I don't have enough faith or because I am more 
useful to Him in my present condition.  I wish I did know so that, I 
could quit bugging God and just move on.  but, I don't know, so I 
continue to make my request and still serve and do what I can and 
pray that, I will get my anser.  I'd prefer it in this life and I'd 
prefer it to be what I want, but my head tells me that I may not be 
afforded that luxury.
         In our devotions the other day was this quote, "Keep 
praying, but be grateful that God's answers are wiser than some of 
your petitions."  (William Culbertson)  I guess that that is what I 
have to trust  in in the end.
Kathy


At 08:33 PM 1/25/2006, you wrote:
>Kathy,
>
>I need to soon stop my posts on this lol, I'm well past my promise bad me
>bad  me. hahaha. But I have a question.
>
>You wrote...
>
>"...           Anyway, Greg made a comment that I thought that I'd pass
>on.  He said that God is given glory when a person who has every reason to
>be mad at Him for what is seen as unfair treatment, loves Him anyway.  It
>put me in mind of  Job and how so much happened to him and he never was
>able to convince his friends that he was innocent, but in the end, God
>defended him and blessed him abundantly.  While the friends never lost
>anything, they didn't gain anything in the end either.  If we could see how
>God got the glory in that situation, perhaps we could understand better how
>God also gets the glory in ours."
>
>Comment and question. Although I don't understand, I still love and honor
>god. I feel I have no choice. Now the question. do you and Greg feel you
>understand how God got, or is getting, the glory with Chris' situation? And
>does that change your desire for a change in that situation?
>
>Brad