The Ugly Thief

...has carved another hole into another family, leaving empty arms where a darling son and little brother should be.

We've had at least five different Dravet kids go into crisis, in ICU, all around the same time here. Some coming around, others not at all... This syndrome is an ugly, nasty thief. It comes in the sunshine. A child has been seizure-free for months, even years: so healthy in so many ways. Then WHAM! The seizure that takes it all away. Or it slips them away in their sleep for no known reason.

I hate that the word "hope" has become a happy, touchy-feely empty word thrown around when hurting people are searching for something, anything to cling to. It is such a deep, real human need, yet the answer so many latch on to is this carved out shell of a truly BEAUTIFUL word! When Hope is rooted in the Creator of the universe, our loving Father in Heaven, there is nothing more beautiful and fulfilling. And what an answer to pain! What an answer to suffering and death! God the Son has conquered death: what could be better than putting your hope in Him? the conqueror of death?! There is no other way to survive the pain of this world and remain whole. There is no other way to escape death yourself.

I have hope that these children who have suffered greatly in their earthly lives, being robbed of the mental capacity to understand these profound spiritual truths, are welcomed into the gates to join all the saints before the Lord to sing his praises for eternity. No more pain, seizures, tears, suffering... I believe this because I know the loving God whom we serve. There is much pain and death in this world broken by sin. Not one drop of it is allowed in the presence of God.