Ordinary Days, Extraordinary Grace
My daughter held her latest creation with pride as she showed it to her small audience, our friends who were visiting. “Look what I made!” she exclaimed. She opened her palm to reveal a tiny porcelain cupcake with splashes of red, purple, and green. It was noticeable that she had made an effort to stay inside the lines, but somewhere between her tiny paintbrush and inexperienced hands, the objective had been lost. That certainly didn’t dampen her feeling of accomplishment that day.
She’d completed her project the day my husband and I spent at the hospital while he underwent a six-hour surgery. Since the moment the procedure had been scheduled months in advance, dread hovered over my thoughts and plans, letting anxiety creep in. Its monstrous grip held tight to my former calm and contentment. I’m not usually a worrier, but with the final surgery of four coming up, I knew the risks.
My husband had been in a life-threatening accident on an unseasonably warm evening, just before spring emerged in 2025. After that, his taking advantage of the gorgeous weather seemed like a crime. The hospital stay, multiple surgeries, and numerous follow-up appointments that followed were stifling. The last thirteen months had been filled with a new level of unknowns for our family.
In moments where worry tries to steal my joy, God installs small reminders. “I’ve got you,” He says, through a friend bringing a meal, sending a thoughtful text, or praying with me. I have to remember that my husband wasn’t taken from me. This ordeal has given us even more to be thankful for. How else would I discover that it takes him a minimum of two hours to awaken from “surgery sleep” when an anesthesiologist is involved? (He treasures his rest, even in those moments!) And where else would I have been able to enjoy his post-procedure loopy moments?
My word for this year is “moments,” and it’s God’s personal reminder to me to enjoy the little things in life, to let time slow down. To take deep breaths when I wouldn’t have taken pause at all. He provided these snapshots to remind me of what He wants me to reflect on.
My husband’s last surgery took place thirteen months after the incident, and I was worried about it. Why? Isn’t God good enough? Hadn’t He shown me His faithfulness? I let the unknown take over my gratitude for how far we’ve come. The day before surgery at church, I was reminded of one of my favorite verses:
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 (KJV)
Just like the level of pride my daughter had when she completed her cupcake, God must cherish the beautiful horizons He paints, the sunsets that take our breath away. He crafts each new day, and yet, He is faithful to us too. This verse served as a reminder that God was watching over Surgery Day as well. May I never take another day or moment for granted again, no matter what the schedule holds.