Mom

Sarah Durkee
Tarrytown United Methodist Church

February 9, 2003
Youth Sunday

Ever since I was a little girl, my favorite song has been….now don't laugh….. He's got the whole world in his hands, everyone knows it right? Well, I learned it at Vacation Bible School in this church and I have always thought that God was protecting me and my family, but now I know for sure.

As many know, this past summer my mom had knee surgery, her knees turned out wonderfully and if you ask she'll probably show you her "battle scars". But what you don't know, is that a little bit more than surgery happened. On July 11th my mom was overdosed on pain medications , she had stopped breathing, had no pulse and was technically dead.

But the real story began in September of 2001, after going to camp for 7 years, I was not invited to go back for my 8th year. And of course, I was devastated like anyone would be, and I really didn't understand why. I thought about it for a while and then I finally came to the conclusion that I would probably be doing something better.

So, before I knew it, it was July and we were sending my brother off to boy-scout camp and counting down the days till mom's surgery. Then the day finally came and my mom entered surgery with a prayer, some hugs and kisses and a few tears.

The first night out of surgery my mom shared a room with a really sweet old lady, but by hospital rules a family member couldn't stay the night in a 2 person room. So unwillingly we left my mom, only to return 8 hours later to find her in ICU. She had stopped breathing……… she was all white and had no pulse when a nurse found her, and that one nurse helped save her life while she was teetering between the balance of life and death.

When I was finally able to see my mom, I ran to her bed, hugged her, kissed her and then we both cried. I cried and thanked God for saving her, and then I cried some more because I was minutes away from loosing my mommy forever. Once we both dried our tears, she explained her night to me, she said she remembered feeling really afraid and opening her eyes, fighting the doctors, and seeing a golden light. Then she felt a voice, not a man, not a woman but a feeling that told her "relax" "it's not your time to go". Then she laid her arms out like Jesus did on the cross, because she was powerless and at that precious moment He was holding her in his hands.

And just as the Bible says, " I will bless you with a future filled with hope-a future of success and not suffering", my family is blessed with such a better life, since we have my mom to share it with. When I was not able to go back to camp, I had wondered why, then thought I would be doing something better, and that was an understatement. I never thought I would be witnessing God's work in my own life. When my mom's life was in jeopardy, I wanted to find a medical reason why she was saved, but a medical reason couldn't explain it, only God could.

But after "the episode" as we call it, I turned back to God and asked for help because no one else could help my mom. Her life was beyond everyone's reach, except God's because no one is out of His reach. And then I really realized God's almighty power and I worshiped him. And God also says in Jeremiah, "I will be with you" and he was, even though we couldn't stay with my mom that night, he was there, and I couldn't have hoped for a better person for her to stay with. He was holding her in his arms that whole long night, not letting her tip the balance from life to death, because it just wasn't her time.

He was with her then, and he is with her now, he is with anyone who wants him. I feel him, I feel that warming, loving, golden feeling like my mom did and probably like many of ya'll do. And ever since I was a little girl I have loved the song he's got the whole world in his hands, and now I know it's true……….. he does have the whole world in his hands.

Let us pray, Lord, thank you for allowing us a living example of your almighty control over our lives. We pray that each one of us in this room be completely devoted to you and that we would trust in your timing, and not question it because of our ideas of what we think is right. Open our eyes to the many miracles that you present before us everyday, and allow us to see with out hearts, not our eyes. Let us lead by example in our own lives and have faith that you will be with us, as you said you would.

In his name we pray, Amen.

Now please join us in the singing of Dive by Steven Curtis Chapman.