The last seven days

For the past couple of weeks the Watsons have been scattered between Miami, Dallas and Memphis.  

Here's the last seven days.

Monday ~ (Matthew is in Memphis, Lisa and the boys are in Dallas) I (matthew) have kidney stones and am rushed to the ER by neighbors.  I spend the day in ER, Monday night at our neighbors and come back home on Tuesday.

Tuesday ~ (MW still in Memphis, the rest of the clan in Big D) I continue to recover.  Lisa's Abuela, who many of you were praying for, passes away from this life and into the next.  

Wednesday ~ Lisa, Nathan, Elias, my mom (Grammie D) & grandma ('GG') drive up from Dallas to Memphis.

Thursday ~ The watsons celebrate thanksgiving with dear friends from Living Hope.

Friday ~ Lisa, Matthew & Elias fly to Miami to be with the Rodriguez family.  (Nathan stays in Memphis with Grammie D & GG.  They spend the day at Graceland).

Saturday ~ We say good by to Lisa's Abuela, Carmen Rodriguez, and fly back to Memphis arriving in at midnight CST.

Sunday ~ Matthew preaches at Living Hope Church.  Grammie D & GG head back to Dallas, leaving the rest of the Watsons in their home in Memphis.

Which brings me to tonight.  Nathan is in bed.  Lisa is in the living room with Elias.  I'm in the breakfast nook listening to Debussy's Clair de Lune and reflecting on the last seven days.  I don't know if I'm exhausted, overwhelmed or both.  

To have all of this happen during Thanksgiving week, leading up to the beginning of Advent seems to make the events of the last weeks all the more poignant.  Drastic reminders that in spite of hurting hearts, broken bodies and the fragility of life, we still have much to be thankful for.  And it was precisely because of weeks like this - ones marked by sickness and loss - that Jesus came and will come again.  

playing in the hallway

NaBloPoMo has taken a back seat, or even gotten out of the car for that matter under the weight of more pressing matters.  

Abuela was doing better for a couple of days, but then had a turn for the worst.  Her heart is weakening.  Continue to pray for her and for Lisa.  She is still in Miami.  Trying to be an encouragement, but needing encouragement herself.  

I'm in Dallas and have been for the past couple of days.  I was attending the Acts 29 Network conference on church planting along with other pastors from Living Hope.  Lisa was supposed to be with us.  I wish she was with us; for more reasons than one.  Perhaps that experience will be its own blog in the next day or so.  Maybe not.  

I planned to return to Memphis last night, leaving Nathan with my mom, dad and grandma.  To spend the next several days working, preparing to preach, preparing for Advent Conspiracy, pastoring, all that.  But, like so many of our days recently, none of that happened. 

As I was preparing to leave, Nathan took my departing very hard.  Crying, asking me not to leave.  Its a rare occasion for Nathan to get bent out of shape about Lisa and me leaving him somewhere although he's never spent a night without us.  In light of everything else, this was especially difficult for me.  And frankly, the thought of driving to Memphis and spending several days there alone was none to appealing. 

I left.  Drove to the gas station.  Called Lisa told her the situation with Nathan.  I called to get an update on Abuela.  Through tears she shared.  

After finishing my conversation with Lisa, I called my mom.  She told me Nathan had stopped crying and was running up and down the hall playing.  I told her I was coming back to the house and that I'd be staying the night, possibly the next two.  

You see, things are a little uncertain in our family right now.  Abuela may recover.  And she may not.  We might have to go to Miami, and we might not.  Lisa's been in Miami for 5 days.  And she'll be there for a few more.  And although I have a lot to do...sermons to prepare, a conspiracy to coordinate, a mission trip to prepare for...I have a sense that the best place (though not the most efficient place) for me to work on these things is in a place where each night I am able to put my son to bed.  I suspect I need that more than he does.  After all, while I was still carrying the heavy heart, he was playing the hall way.  

Pray for Abuela

Lisa's grandmother on her dad's side, her Abuela, needs your prayers.  Over the past couple of weeks her health has begun to take a turn for the worst.  First it was a fall, then surgery, a nasty bacteria and now she's in the hospital in ICU.  Lisa left with Elias this morning to join her family in Miami, to encourage and pray.  

Please join with us in praying for Abuela (her name is Carmen) and also for Lisa's Papi (Benito).  This is a very difficult time.  Pray for healing and a peace that does, in fact, pass all understanding.

Nathan gets dressed

This morning Lisa took this piece of footage.  Its a gem.  After filming Lisa looks at me and says,"some blogs write themselves".  Yep.

Nathan's Pull Up Project from Matthew Watson on Vimeo.

Jason stays at our house

Beyond our children, one of the greatest gifts God has given Lisa and I are friendships with folks who daily do the hard work of making this world a much better place; people who each day make a decision to love God, His world and the people who call this place home; people who are doing this noble work often in difficult places.  

A couple of days ago I blogged about Carolyn & Nour Sirker.  Here's another one.  Another friend.

I met Jason and his wife while in seminary years ago and we've been tracking with their journey since seminary for nearly 10 years now.  For much of that time Jason has been engaged in disaster relief and community development work.  His faith in Jesus and his passion for lost and hurting people has led him and his family to this life.  Specifically he's been working in a number of community, villages and towns that were affected by the tsunami in 2004.  Now, long after the cameras and spotlights and even other NGOs have left the area Jason and his band of community organizers continues to help businessmen restart old businesses, help the local dept. of education develop new teachers and train counselors to help people heal the emotional scars left from violence - but from mother nature and human nature.  

He was in the US for a couple of weeks connecting with donors and speaking at conferences.  The night before he returned to his southeast asian apartment to rejoin his family, he stayed with Lisa and I and the boys.  We had folks over from Living Hope.  We prayed for Jason and his family.  Nathan played silly games with Jason.  And the next morning, at 4am Jason headed home.  

I'm grateful that my sons are able to know men like Jason.  Men who, despite cynicism, despite sin, despite the enormity of the challenge look it in the teeth, grin and charge head long with arms full of faith, hope and love.  

Jason, may your tribe increase.  May my family be among them.