"Full Circle" in a sense.....

Proverbs 16:3 . . . "Commit your work to the Lord; and your plans will be established." 

That was one of the verses in my devos this morning, and the last line of the devo itself read: Let My Presence bring order to your thoughts, infusing Peace into your entire being.

That's good stuff! :) So, AGAIN today, as every day that I CHOOSE to be STILL and LISTEN, God met me and spoke to me!  But, tonight, I'm going to be short, and tonight, it's not about us (well, kind of about us, but not in the usual sense - stay with me though!)

If you have been reading along since I started this blog, or if you read back, you will recall that in the hospital, when the nurse asked if we had talked about organ donation, and when I said we hadn't, she then asked if we wanted to.  My reply of "yes" startled me so that I actually almost looked around the room to see where the answer came from!  My next response was to ask the girls, reminding them that Auntie Lulu was awaiting approval to receive a pancreas transplant (due to the diabetes she has dealt with for years).  

On November 22, just a little over 2 weeks after we gave the o.k. for Rick's organs that could be used to be "gifted" to others, Luanne posted on her facebook that she was officially on the list for HER transplant.  It was with mixed feelings I read that.  I LOVE Luanne, and am thrilled at the changes this will bring to her life, but, I also KNEW the PAIN another family would have to endure for her miracle to happen.  Yet, I was EXCITED for her, it was a feeling of things coming "full circle".  This time around, Rick's family will be on the "receiving end" of this beautiful gift of life, rather than on the "donating end".

She has had a couple of "dry runs", she gets a call that there's a potential match, be ready, but then the call comes telling her, that no, it was not a complete match.  Luanne rested in the Lord's answers to this as she knew HE was in control!  There was even a call yesterday (Sunday) that she didn't get the "NO" answer to until 4:30 a.m. - and thankfully so, the roads were terribly icy, and Madison is quite a trek!

Anyway, tonight as I was at the basketball game, I got the text.  From my mom.  Luanne is on the WAY to MADISON.  She left at 6:00.  Taken there by her daughter Carri & granddaughter, Megan.  She was on the way.  For a pancreas transplant.  It happened.  It really happened.  And you know what?  It felt really good to be part of the family that received the "good news" call this time!  I immediately prayed for the precious family who made the generous decision to donate their loved one's organs.  I prayed that the Lord would hold them as He has held me (us).  And then I prayed for Luanne & Carri - for safe travels and calm nerves.  I prayed for the Doctors & Nurses who will be (probably are RIGHT NOW) performing this miraculous surgery on Luanne!  I prayed for Gramma & Papa Rye & the rest of the family.  I prayed that Rickey would be Luanne's angel throughout this process! ♥

So, tonight, or tomorrow, or whenever you read this, please lift Luanne up in prayer.  Give thanks to the Lord for the miracle of modern medicine that allows these surgeries to be possible.  Pray for fast healing with no complications.  Pray for wisdom for the Dr.'s and Nurses.  Pray for peace for Luanne, Carri, Luke (her son) and their spouses and children.  Pray for peace for Gramma & Papa Rye.  Thank God for His goodness to Luanne - from the start of this journey, for her willingness to just WAIT on the LORD for His timing!  Pray for the precious family who is facing Christmas in a very different way than they thought they would be, but was self-less enough to give Luanne this the best of gifts!  Thank the Lord that things do come "full circle"!  Not full circle in that our grieving the loss of Rick is in any way completed or full circle, but that God in his graciousness allowed us to say "yes" to donation and now, we as Luanne's family are on the receiving end of this most wonderful gift!

Proverbs 16:3b "...and your plans will be established".

Thank you tonight, Lord that you have established our plans.  Thank you especially today, that you have established Luanne's plans.  Thank you that you have given her peace through this journey.  Be with Luanne, the Doctors and Nurses even now, as the procedure is probably underway.  Be with her family and extended family, let them rest in YOU tonight, trusting Luanne fully to your loving care.  Please allow her healing process to be quick and uncomplicated.  Thank you that she has her brother Rickey watching over her tonight.  Thank you that you do bring "beauty from ashes", with this being just another way we can see that.  We can now fully see the joy that is brought to the family who recveives, even though the family who gives, grieves . . . none of it outside of your PLAN, and all of it orchestrated by your loving hand.  {Amen}

Goodnight, Luanne, you will be in my (our) thoughts and prayers all through the night!  We can't wait to awaken in the morning to the wonderful news that you have a new and healthy pancreas working inside of you!  LOVE YOU ♥