God's Perfect Timing

God’s timing is always perfect.

Sometimes that is hard for us to see.

Sometimes we have to wait to see it. Looking back it seems so clear.

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

One could say that having babies less than 13 months apart isn't good timing. But looking back, having Katie and Mikey so close was a blessing. They were like twins. They loved and cherished each other even after they grew individual personalities.

If you have ever danced you know how important timing is. When a couple like Julie Wilson and Mike danced it was beautiful. They danced as one. If one of them had even been a second off it would have been less than desirable to watch (and probably wouldn’t have gotten them a State championship).

Mikey told many of his peeps that he didn't want to die in a hospital bed. That was part of his decision to come home on Hospice. He even refused the bed that Hospice brought when he first arrived. But after a few days his back started to hurt. He needed to be propped up to be comfortable and that was hard to do in a regular bed. I finally talked Mike into using the bed that was downstairs. “It just allows for you to raise the head up and down, Mike,” I bartered. He agreed. But now how was that going to happen? Mike was getting weaker. The bed that was in that small room was full size. This wasn't going to be easy. Timing would be everything.

His father and I met in the hall and I said, “I think . . .”

“I’ve got this,” He interrupted.

“But . . .”

“I’ve got this.”

“But you know we can . . .”

“I’ve got this!” Big Mike interjected again.

I relaxed. I said, “OK.” I sat back and watched Big Mike’s perfect timing play out.

This needed to be orchestrated. I’m sure Mikey is proud watching the choreography of his father that went on behind the scenes, as he watches the replay on that big screen TV up in heaven. Big Mike rallied the troops that were here. One quick call to Mikey’s friends and family members and everyone was ready to go.

Aunt Cathy cradled Mikey ever so gently in her arms while Amy held the morphine drip. As they sat Mikey down in a chair in the room someone set off a timer.

A group came in and disassembled the bed and rushed it out the door and down the hall. Scott, Bryon, Bear and others led by Big Mike came in and assembled the Hospice bed and plugged it in. Sheets and blankets were already on it and within 6 minutes from the time Mikey got up he was back in bed.

It’s amazing what love can do. So honored that all these people were part of Mikey’s life.

Looking back, I see God’s perfect timing for Mikey’s departure to heaven. We had anticipated many months of dependence on oxygen. Being tethered to a tank. Mike didn't want that. We talked about it a few times and I could not get him out of that mindset. Mike was always so giving. He gave until there was no more left to give. I would tell him that this would be our time to give back to him. But he would get agitated about it.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

I have said to people, “If there were ever such a thing as a beautiful death, my son was granted it.” All of his loved ones there to support him. He was able to speak up until the very end. He said his goodbyes and I’ll see you laters. Never alone.

I am so thankful for God’s perfect timing for Mike. For me. For you.

‘O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.’

Psalm 139

Blessings to you. Love, love, love.

Lifted Burdens

There are things I look back at now and see through the eyes of reflection that make me very thankful. They also make me hang my head and wonder why I allowed worry to engulf me at times.

Psalm 50:15 Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

Having a child with a genetic disease means most life insurance companies will not insure them. For years this thought would creep up into my mind. How would I have the money to bury my son if he died before me?

CF is a very expensive disease for families. Lots of medical bills and medications. Travel to and from medical facilities, stays in hospitals and hotels, equipment and the list goes on.

There were times I trusted and there were times I worried.

So many of you have helped ease our burdens. Thank you. We are so grateful for all the support we received and are still receiving.

• Thank you to all those who lifted us up in prayer. They were all heard and answered.
• Thank you Derek for giving of all of your time for Mikey's funeral preparations. He would not allow one second of his time to be charged.
• To Radar who would not allow us to be burdened with any amount insurance didn't pay for the ambulance ride home.
• Thank you to Grandma VanDeurzen who allowed Mike to be buried on their plot.
• Thank you to so many friends and relatives who gave money to help pay for Mike's medical and burial expenses.
• Thank you to Uncle David, Aunt Renee and my girlfriend Jean for helping financially with Mike's expenses these last couple of difficult years when the expense became overwhelming.
• Thank you to Brandi and Julie for helping raise awareness and money to help with Mike's expenses.
• Thank you to my girlfriend Gail who came immediately and stayed until the end. Working tirelessly even though she struggles with her own chronic illness.
• Thank you to my girlfriend Pam who brought food and shampoo and things I needed.
• Thank you to the many people who brought food to the house. I don't even know who you all are. I didn't see anyone who brought food except my mom and Brandi (Julie brought salsa and cookies). It was just there when I would come downstairs. Bless you.
• Thank you to all of the friends and relatives who helped us take care of Richie and David.
• To Johnna, Cathy, Kay and others who took charge and put the food out for others to have. I was so out of it I didn't even offer Mike and Kay anything to eat or drink when they first came. When Mike and I talked to Mikey and I told them his dad could come and stay, I was extending an open invitation but then we got to our house and things got crazy. Thank you for your forgiveness you guys.
• Thank you to Kay who brought water and hand sanitizer and all sorts of stuff.
• Thank you to Amy who ran to the store or errands on more than one occasion yet was still there every time Mike called for her.
• Thank you Amy S for the Chapstick.
• Mike and Dianne P who counseled with Mike so many times and talked him through many rough patches in his life.
• Thank you Rhonda, Amy, Pastor Parson's, Beth and others for my cokes.
• Thank you to Mike's brothers who would come at a moments notice if we needed anything. Some ran to the pharmacy for drugs, others on errands, some came in the middle of the night because Mike just needed to know that they were there.
• Thank you to Scott who came in the middle of his work week and camped out in the hospital parking lot.
• Thank you to Dennis for making the trip so many times. Mike needed you and you were there.
• Thank you to the women who made the purple ribbons.
• Thank you to the folks who made bracelets.
• Thank you Julie for the flash mob. . . unbelievable memories.
• To the Pastors and staff at Good Shepherd Lutheran for allowing all of us to have Mike's visitation there.
• To the Pastors and staff at Faith who allowed us to fit around tight schedules. Allowed Mike's bikes to be kept there with him. For understanding the brothers needed to keep watch.
• Thank you to Pastor Naumann for an incredible sermon that has brought peace to all of us.
• Thank you to Pastor Parsons, Haugley, Weigand and Naumann for the devotions. Thank you Pastor Haugly for giving Mike Communion.
• Thank you to Uncle Bob and Uncle Scott for honoring Mike's request to sing Breathe. I can't imagine how hard that was to do at Mikey's funeral. But they did it.
• Thank you to Auggy and Mongo who wrote poems for Mike and shared them with the rest of us.
• Thank you to everyone who spoke at Mike's funeral.
• Thank you to Madyson for the Hero speech she shared with Mike and then with all of us.
• Thank you Erin and Brooke for your counsel
• Thank you to Uncle Jim's sisters and others who helped organize and serve the lunch after the burial.
• Thank you to everyone who brought food for the lunch.
• Thank you to everyone who sent plants and flowers. They are all lovely.  Thank you to Mike Bassett for the two trees. They are planted in our yard. I couldn't find your address to thank you.
• Thank you to the THMC for honoring Mike's last request that the club have his motorcycle. This was a difficult request to fill. It was Mike's only asset and with medical bills and such it would not be easy to fulfill this request. The club purchased the bike for well over its value to fulfill Mikey's request and to help alleviate some of Mike's expenses. God bless you all.
• And to Heartland Hospice for the storm we created. It was no easy thing to get Mike home and make all the arrangements in a moments notice. There was not time to work things out perfectly. They took him anyway and we all did the best we could. They came back every time we needed them. They continue to call and offer comfort through our grief.

Thank you to everyone who showed up - no matter how you did it. You showed up and gave support. I never could have imagined how God was going to work this all out and how awesomely he would do it. I didn't need to worry. I only needed to trust him. How silly I was.

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Thank you to all of you for helping to lift our burdens. God bless each and every one of you. Peace.

I didn't get the entire song but I will share the piece I did get. So awesome of these Uncle's of Mike's to do this for him. 

Keep loving it forward with us. Blessings to you!