Flashlight of Hope

In October 2008, it appeared my life path was coming to an end. Instead, the Lord handed me a bright, powerful, fully-charged flashlight (with steroid induced batteries) that, when pointed on Him, reflected a blanket of light down on me through hundreds of friends, family and strangers who walked with me on my journey. The light made the uncertain road an adventure filled with curves, valleys, mountain top experiences and a few melt downs as the batteries lost their charge. It is a chapter in my life I hope never to lose on a shelf. Wednesday, April 21, 2010, is the final preparation to the start of a new chapter in my book. As I tried to come to terms with the realization that the surgery will only partially correct my double vision, the Lord focused my flashlight on Nash, a little, 3-year-old boy (the son of a friend of mine) who was recently diagnosed with a tumor in his eye. The eye was removed, and there is still uncertainty whether the other eye will develop the same, rare, genetic mutation. Within a few days after his surgery, Nash was out running and playing, unfazed by the loss of his eye. My flashlight was, once again, re-charged and lifted up as the Lord continues to remind me that despite the mountains I have climbed, there is someone else with a much steeper mountain to climb. It is by Grace that we reach the top of each mountain set before us. It is by Grace that we learn how to live within our limitations, disappointments, pain and loss. It is by Grace that our flashlights are charged and we see the world in a whole new light.

Although my single vision will not be restored, completely, we hope for significant improvement to my forward vision. On Thursday morning, at 8 AM, the bandage will be removed from my right eye, and, depending on the outcome of the surgery, the doctor can make an adjustment to the slip-knot of a stitch in an attempt to fine-tune my vision. It is not a perfect science.

Thank you for praying for the success of this surgery. More importantly, thank you for praying for an opportunity to use my flashlight as an encouragement to others.