Regent University School of Udnergraduate Studies

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Fragility of Life

If I were to tell you that this year my wife and I were hit head-on by a drunk driver while driving down a road, that I had mono for several months and couldn’t get out of bed, and that after all this, my wife and I were run off the freeway by a Semi causing us to roll several times, you would probably think this was an unlucky year. I was told by the Life Flight crew as they flew me to the hospital that I shouldn’t be alive. I knew God had chosen to spare me. The one thing I took away from all this chaos is that life is so very fragile. We are not promised this day, but only this very moment in which we are currently living and breathing, and even this can be demanded from us in the next moment. As a Christian, this reality doesn’t freak me out. I have greater hopes then earthly success. Still, this morning as I sat down at my desk and began sipping my coffee and looking at the snow covered pasture out of my window, I realized something amazing. You see, this year my wife also got pregnant and is carrying our baby. We are nearly 15-weeks along. I was just thinking that after all we have been through, and after realizing how fragile life really is, God chose to give us a life rather then take one away. We will be welcoming a new member into our family, and that child is literally our own flesh and blood. I don’t totally understand the miracle of life, but I bow in reverence at the Giver of life.

3 comments:

DawnHolmes said...

Dear Jason,

Amazing story. I have to admit I have a similiar story. I found out at my 20 week appointment with my 3rd child, second son, that he had something called a diaphragmatic hernia. I prayed for a miracle that he would come out fully healed and healthy and that the docters would have to believe in God because there would be no other explanation. To make a long story short my son, Isaiah Gabrielle, did come out sick and infact the second sickest baby this NY NICU has ever seen.

Day by day he was touch and go, which was quite difficult being 45 minutes away from him commuting each day just to visit incase it were the last. After two weeks of being on an ECMO machine the docters said he would die if they did the surgery and he would die if we took him off the machines and did nothing. My husband and I opted to not put him through anymore pain and said we would take him off the machines in the morning considering it was 12am already and we had to get my then 4 year old daughter and one year old son home for bed. I cried all night and all morning knowing what was going to come. On the way to the hospital I was so mad at God. I questioned Him; "Why are you taking my son after I got saved just one year before?" I was thinking how I left the catholic church and thought and believed for miracles. I had changed my life so much why was God going to take our son.

When we got to the hospital the chief Dr. wanted to meet with us and show us some x-rays that were taken in the middle of the night. Around 2am the docters couldn't believe their eyes. After weeks our son had no air in his lungs, the machines helped him breath and also he couldn't pass any of the breathing tests that would make him okay for the surgery.

Anyway, Over night God breathed air into our sons lungs; full air on the right side and 1/3 of air on the left side where his hernia was. (By the way this was all during Passover...hmmmm) So the next day our Isaiah went into surgery and things were going okay for about a week. Then his last week of life Isaiah really did suffer and we finally prayed and took him off the machines to die peacefully then keeping him on machines where you could see he was truly suffering. During these last two weeks I came to peace with God, myself and loosing my son. I know this seems like such a sad story but wait there is more....

My son was buried May 11th 2006. It just so happens I found out that September I was pregnant yet again for a third year in a row...lol. My fourth child and now second daughter was born May 12th 2007. Ovadyah Raphaella = God has healed in Hebrew. Amazing! We did full circle in exactly one year and that is how awesome our God is.

Congratulations for your little bundle of joy as well!!! :) I was just looking for an English major to speak with about the workload. Somehow God led me to you. I dropped out of college almost 8 years ago and was planning on going back for English even though I was a Psych major before. I just don't have the time to do research and too many papers. So that being said how is the workload? Is there alot of papers, tests, reading? Is it really difficult or doable? Be honest, I don't want to fail at this I just want to finish my degree after 10 years now. Thank you for your time and God bless you.

Shalom,
Dawn Holmes
DawnMarieHolmes@yahoo.com

Sherry said...

Hi Jason, I am so amazed at the pure and innocent faith you exhibit, and the deep love you have for God which shows as brightly as any light from the sun. Your talent in bringing to life words forming in your heart is wonderful to share, and I appreciate greatly what you have written. I pray God's continued blessings upon you and yours, kindest regards, (considering attending Regent online)

DANIEL said...

Dear Jason;
My name is Daniel;and i have really enjoyed reading your blog.
It is indeed a very nice story;well arranged and straight to the point.
Life is full of ups and downs;but i hope it will be well with us.
Just,put your trust in God;again i have discovered something from you;that is hard work.
Bravo! to you.
Please,kindly extend my greetings to Mr.Ken Baker[Director Of Admissions.
Thank you.

The publisher/owner of this website, Jason Lee Shofner, is solely responsible for decisions regarding site content. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Regent University and Regent University assumes no liability for any material appearing herein.