Great Orchestration

I think of when I was in concert band in high school and the marvelous feeling that I felt when the band was "on" --the timing and notes were right. It was a feeling of awe to be part of beautiful music when we played our parts according to the direction of the conductor. I felt a similar awe over the last few days as I traveled to little Helena's funeral and then visited my family. I saw how the Great Conductor was orchestrating people to intersect at the right time, how weather was changed in a moment, and how seats on a plane opened.

One notable happening was when I was returning home last night. I had a small little paperback book that was evangelistic in nature. I was wondering who the Lord wanted me to give it to. I wasn't sure, so I kept it in my hand rather than put it in my backpack as I got off the plane. I was talking to the man who had been sitting next to me on the plane as we took the train back to the main terminal. He asked me, "What is that book that you have in your hand?" I said, "Do you want it? Here you can have it." He was a little surprised at my offer but gladly took the book. How easy was that? May the Lord work in that man's life.

I wasn't booked for that flight but I got on as a standby passenger even when one of the agents told me that my chances of getting on were slim. I see it as the Great Conductor doing some intricate orchestration. I am left with a sweet feeling of awe.

Fragility and Resiliency

I was thinking in light of yesterday's sad news how the human body is both resilient and fragile all at the same time. These are very opposite properties (it reminds me a little of the light/particle discussion I posted a few months ago). I think of Helena and how her little body went through so many medical procedures and rebounded quite well. Then it was over, and they don't know exactly know why. Her heart and lungs seemed to be functioning fine independently, but somehow she wasn't able to maintain high enough blood O2 levels. I imagine that God decided she had endured enough, and He took her home.

His ways are not our ways

Today is a sad day for my mother's side of the family. My cousin's 19-month-old daughter died of a cardiac arrest a couple days after she had undergone a seemingly successful heart surgery. Although I never met little Helena, she looked like a little sweetheart in photos (see her blog). I talked to my cousin (her mother) today and was moved with compassion for her and her husband. I was reminded that our Father in Heaven knows what it is like to see his Son die, and He will help them through their grief.

I must remember that God has a plan through it all even if we can't see and understand it. It is at times like this where all I can do is lean on the fact that God is good, and He will never leave or forsake His children.