It always felt so good to see the Home tree on the horizon. It still feels the same way, as if God embed some sort of super-natural essence in it that reaches out to hug me, reassure me of His sovereignty each time I’m near it. When I was older, in my mid-teens, my great-gran shared a story with me, that happened near the Home tree. It was supernatural in nature and perhaps it is something that lingers from that incident that ‘caused the tree to produce the reactions in me that continue to occur to this day. A Vision: Aunt Betty & the Eagle
And so, she prayed, asking God for favor and to soften her daughter’s heart to His will and help her lay down whatever things in her life she held onto that were displeasing to Him. A short time later, she received a phone call at her small farm in Pumpkin Run. Betty was in hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. An exam and X-rays had uncovered a six-inch tumor in her brain. She wanted her parents there and a risky surgery would be scheduled as soon as possible. Jewish Hospital, Cincinnati, OhioEven back in the late 1950s and 60s, the greater Cincinnati area included several cities situated across the Ohio River, in northern Kentucky. Today, Cincinnati National Airport sits in Erlanger, Kentucky. The area is separate in many ways and cohesive in others. My great-grandparents arrived and made their way to my aunt’s room. This wasn’t Aunt Betty’s first rodeo involving a grim prognosis or a serious procedure, but her mama knew there was indeed something different that could affect the outcome, depending on how well, or not, her daughter received the information she was about to deliver. She relayed the message she’d received during the vision of the eagle. She assured her whatever things she was doing, or holding onto in her life that God was displeased with weren’t worth it, and laying them aside was worth everything He wanted to do for her. My aunt cried and immediately agreed. the family had prayer, right there in the hospital room and, God did a wondrous thing! Soon after, the day of surgery (next day if I remember it right), the family was gathered in Aunt Betty’s room. Her skull was still bandaged from a previous procedure--trephining. Her surgeon had drilled three holes in the front of her skull to allow them access to the tumor. It was through the holes they planned to excise it away from the brain and remove it. This was done before my birth in spring of 1964. Back then, surgery was far more risky than it is in today’s high-tech industry. The surgeon came in and told Aunt Betty he had a niggling feeling that he needed to do just one more set of X-rays before they transported her to the O.R. She agreed and they wheeled her out to get one more set of pics. Afterward, back in her room, waiting again to be taken to surgery, her surgeon came back into the room carrying X-ray pics. She’d already seen the first sets, but he showed them to her anyway. There was the tumor, sitting in her skull like a fat cigar. Then he held up the set they’d just taken... No tumor... None. His explanation was that it was impossible and miraculous and he was thrilled to get to send her home shortly. No surgery was needed to remove a tumor that was no longer there. I grew up loving the Home tree, not knowing it was connected to a miracle-moment in a life and death tipping point of one of the most loved and influential people in my life.
ShoutOutsThe wrapBetween now and next week's edition, may you walk in Christ's good care...
Shalom
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June 2018
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