Every cloud has a silver lining.

For some reason, God chose to provide Erin and I with life lessons through the context of a post partum catastrophe.  People often wonder why bad things happen to good people, or why we have to deal with crappy situations.  We all hope that one day we can look back after time has passed and realize the good that came out of the bad.  The day after surgery I was in the ICU in Erin’s room when I thought to myself, “I bet that in a few years I will look back at this event and see that a lot of good came out of this situation.  Somehow God will be glorified through all of this.”  Little did I know that I wouldn’t have to wait a year…that I’d already be seeing God’s hand in it within the next three days.  Erin has been keeping a list of all the "God sightings," or times that God works in ways that are obviously of Him.  I'm amazed at the length of this list in such a short time.  Because of this ordeal, relationships have been strengthened, lives have been touched, and conversations were had that would have never taken place.  All this glory because of an unfortunate situation.  

  

Tragedy stinks.  Pain hurts.  Inconvenience is annoying and difficult.  Anxiety causes you to have a knot in your stomach that inhibits you from eating and a wound up brain that keeps you awake at night.  We try our hardest to avoid these emotions with the thought that life will be better without them.  I think you have to define “better.”  I’m pretty sure Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian have had very few trials in life as they were given everything they needed and kept out of harm’s way.  Are they “better?” On the other hand, some of the wisest and most respected people I know are the ones who have gone through the darkest valleys and had their faith refined by the fire of affliction.  These people can come alongside someone who is hurting and provide council, empathy, and a caring shoulder to cry on.  As much as I hate what we have been through, I am sure it will make Erin and I better people.