Thank you for the prayers about Ensay's finishing his school year strong despite the set backs he faced in last two months. He still needs to visit the hospital twice a week to receive transfusion of platelets and red blood cells because his body (bone marrow) is still not producing them. Including all the waiting times in between lab tests it can take up to 12 hours in the hospital to receive the transfusions. The previous test results showed his white blood cells to have dipped down a little so the doctor told us to bring him in if he runs a fever (i.e., due to low immune system, he is susceptible to infections). I am continuously PRAYING that his bone marrow factory will go into normal operations and for God to put a shield of protection around him against germs so he stays healthy.
Reflection:
The many hours of receiving the transfusion, especially the red blood cells (as seen in the picture included), provide solitary moments to reflect on a lot of things of which the value and the life our blood carries. We are grateful to all the blood donors because in essence their donated blood is what is sustaining Ensay's life. As I write this, my mind is still in state of denial but that is our reality. While we're clinging on to the hope and promises God laid in our hearts about this situation when you see this big boy lying in the hospital bed receiving the blood for many hours at a time because his body cannot produce it on its own, it is unavoidable for us to fall into moments of disbelief in everything we had held on to because when life and death stares straight at you head on it shakes the whole world upside down (a few times!).
Many years ago when I was helping set up the sound system for a small performance, as I was holding on to the power cable to one of the equipment I asked, "Where's the power?" To my surprise one of the musicians replied, "The power's in the blood!" That funny response, however, stuck with me all these years because he was absolutely right. The power is in the blood because: 1) our body needs the blood and that is why blood is used to signify life in us; and 2) we need the blood of Jesus to have a vibrant spiritual life now in this world and the world to come. As much as our physical life needs the (red) blood to keep us alive, we also need to have the blood Jesus gave us flowing through our souls in order to keep us alive spiritually.
Yesterday's daily reading was on 2 Thessalonians 2:16 -- Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by
grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. I underlined "grace" because that is the hinge holding together everything else mentioned in this passage. Just like the graciousness of the blood donors giving, Ensay is benefiting immensely, the graciousness of God's giving us the lifeline is the key to our having eternal comfort, good hope, and strengths. Without His grace, there isn't much more to talk about.
The power is indeed in His blood, through His grace. And that's where we are going to anchor our hope while strengthening our hearts against all the storms come our way. Thank you all for journeying with us with amazing support.
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