When we were children, one of the popular playground games was “Red Light Green Light.” A crowd of kids stood behind a starting line. Then one person (chosen to be the “stoplight”) stood a good distance from all the others to shout the color commands. With his back turned, he “directed traffic.”
If he yelled, “Green light!” the kids in the group could run toward him until he said “Red light!” Then they’d have to stop instantly, because he would turn around hoping to catch them moving. If he did, they’d have to return to the starting line. The object of the game was for one of the runners to tag the stoplight person before he could turn around.
Mary and Bervin, without wanting to, are playing medical “Red Light Green Light.” After a thorough work-up of Mary’s cancer case at Rush Hospital in Chicago, they traveled to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for a second opinion.
In the 2 weeks since Mary has been sick, the stop and go lights have been flashing with dizzying speed. One day they were running toward surgery and the next toward chemotherapy. Or they were being told, “We can operate and take it all out,” or, “We think there’s more cancer elsewhere in your body.” Green, red, green, red.
Yesterday was a difficult red light day of meeting new doctors at a new hospital, taking new tests, and ending the day at new depths of exhaustion. Today the light turned green as blood tests looking for cancer elsewhere came back normal. Tomorrow a colonoscopy will reveal the health of Mary’s intestinal track. Whether it’ll be a red or green result, no one yet knows.
After playing this game for 2 weeks, they’ve been tempted to think they are the losers. Mary said tonight, “The minute we get a piece of bad news, our natural tendency is to give way to despair. But again and again we’ve watched God stop those thoughts (red light) and superimpose his scriptural promises over them (green light).”
She also said, “I’ve been reading in Hebrews that our suffering is meant to train us to be more like Christ. It’s not meant to torture us but to be a force toward spiritual gain.”
None of us are exempt from playing “Red Light Green Light.” But with God, it isn’t just a playground game. It’s a life-game that leads to the priceless win of holiness.
“God is educating you. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children…. We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live?” (Hebrews 12:9-11 The Message)
Mary’s prayer requests:
- Preparation for tomorrow’s meeting with the surgeon, for whatever they will hear
- For Mary and Bervin’s children as they each suffer in different ways over their mom’s illness
- That each will turn their eyes to Jesus first and to medical information after that
Thank you, Margaret, for helping us to stand with Mary during this trial. I’m praying for strength, courage, wisdom and God-light for Mary and her entire family as they walk through these dark days. In love, prayer and faith, Judy.
For more years than I care to remember we too played this game in the medical world. Mayo Clinic was one of those red light/green light games. The unknown, the waiting, the fear, the hopes, the raw emotions, the knowledge that God is sovereign could define a single hour of just one day.
Mary knows Jesus and ‘knows’ that all things work to the good for those who love Him, but as a human, God must carry her for we are frail apart from Him.
She is now a ‘light’ in a dark place. Those she will meet in this journey can see and be drawn to Jesus. Hospitals, as you know, are filled with hurting people with no hope. As followers of Jesus we can be comfort and light to those with no hope (yet).
She is a ‘light’ in a dark place for her children. I do not know how many family members are choosing to walk with Jesus, I hope all. However, mortality moments give all of us a spiritual check up, one we all need often.
The ‘why’ of our suffering remains in the front of our thinking but it will and it does happen to all of us. May this time of uncertainty of what the future holds for Mary remind all of us that we do not know the number of our days, God does. We are to make the most of each day we are given, I know she will.
My prayer is that this scary, uncertain journey is a spiritual one that changes all who know her. May her friends, family and strangers that meet her, be changed to such a degree they will share with others the hope of salvation and the peace in knowing our earthly ‘death’ is just the beginning. Praying.
Thank you for your sharing of Mary’s life. It helps us all, as we deal with our individual circumstances that God has chosen for us. I am praying for Mary and her family – that all be done for the glory of our Lord!
Claudia,
Beautifully said. Thanks so much for your inspirational words.
It warms MY heart to read the comments sent, Margaret, and I can only imagine what it does for all of you and Mary’s family. This is what the ‘body of christ’ SHOULD do, believe and support one another. God knew this was what He had in mind for you, when you started the blog;, to share your life, tell the world of His love, His-story, and I pray His continued blessings upon you for His wisdom and strength, during these times.
Thanks,Margaret, for keeping us up to date. There are many people praying for Mary and Berv and the children many times each day. Verna Fogel,Eileen Peterson,Adele Richardson (SCH), Margene Rosenquist and I and others here at Covenant Village in Northbrook,,are a part of their friends who are amazed at how God is working and meeting every need. This shall continue. Our love, Mary Ann