What Happened to Quint - Part Two

You can read Part One of “What Happened to Quint” HERE to understand medically what happened.  Today’s post will deal with this mama’s emotional and spiritual take on Quint’s surgery.

So all of this has resonated deeply with me, because there’s greater significance and truth in all of it. I guess in the big grand design of life – he shouldn’t physically be here in our family. I mean, technically he belonged to a woman and a man on the other side of the world. Who for some reason, parted with him very early. Who for some reason couldn’t care for him. Who, for some reason, left him by a river.

           

And for that alone, he shouldn’t be here. Because, we don’t know how many days he lay there – by that river. How many days it took for someone to come by – or what the weather was like, or what types of animals might have missed him.

He shouldn’t be here.

We don’t know why, being so ill in the orphanage, he continued to survive and fight and maintain his cheery disposition. Even with his poor tiny ears broken, draining and surely painful – he had a ready smile for us every day.

We don’t know why, after three years of apparent suffering he has remained such a happy go-lucky boy with a sweet heart and a forgiving nature.

I don’t know why he made it through croup, twice.

I don’t know why he continued to breathe, when medically speaking he could have been taken from us for months – from sleep apnea, choking, common illness, or who knows what else. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of it.

Maybe by the worlds standards, he shouldn’t be here for lots of reasons.

But his entire life, thus far, has been marked with one thing – an element of grace. It is my deepest belief that when Quint’s body would have given out, God mercifully had a much bigger plan for him. I choose to believe that when the doctor says he doesn’t know how he’s been breathing – that God in his grace – made a way. I believe that Quint’s life has purpose. That by the world’s standard, he shouldn’t be here – but God – whose ways are higher and not our ways – has a beautiful and amazing plan for Quint.

And you can choose to just see all of this as chance or medical commonplace – thankful it was caught for the sake of being caught. Relieved that he’s ok. And glad we found out when we did. And that’s ok. I’ll take that, because we’re relieved too.

But I have to tell you, I take tremendous spiritual comfort knowing there’s a reason behind what appears to be chance. It’s called GRACE. I believe in a God who loves to show Himself as a real and tangible part of our lives – who takes care in reminding us how He delights over us with Love. To prove Himself real to us!  Even in a day and age when it’s hard to see anything clearly – I am here to tell you, I am so grateful for my faith. It absolutely sustains me in my darkest and happiest hours – and all the in-betweens.

It’s these types of reminders in my life that bring the sweet truth of God’s plan back to me with startling clarity. And truly, God could have taken Quint from us. And that would have been utterly devastating in so many ways, I couldn’t begin to count them. But it would not change God’s plan, or His Grace or His love. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The beginning and the end. And He does not change. His love does not change. His plan does not change. So even when we’re scurrying around saying to ourselves “what if we hadn’t caught this” or “what if this “ or “what if that” – God is still the same. Quint’s days were numbered before his life began, and no amount of worrying on my part will ever change that.

And the truth is that God loves my son far more than I ever could – and that’s saying something, let me tell you. That’s why Quint’s life is so incredible.  Because it’s a reminder of God’s grace and goodness.  We don’t deserve it – but He lavishes us with His love just the same and He takes joy in us, and He loves to show up and remind us exactly Who He Is.  A loving Father and a God of details.  Every hair on your head is counted, my sweet friend.  Every single hair.  And not a sparrow falls without God knowing…how much more does He love you?

That’s what so amazing about Quint’s life; you can so clearly see that it’s not by chance. He shouldn’t be here. Not here in America. Not here in our family. Not here physically, according to his surgeon.

But he is. And that’s anything but chance. Anything but commonplace or “good luck” or karma.

It’s Divine.

And I’m so grateful to be a part of his story. So very grateful to have the privilege of being his Mother.

So happy to count myself adopted into God’s family…plucked from the mire and lavished with Grace. 

Absolutely Divine.