Plans ?

I'm not sure why I limit God. Maybe because our generation is great at making up our own plans that pick and choose the method based on our own hedonistic values. We have the privilege and freedom to choose an a la cart menu of religions, politics, careers, and lifestyles that don't have to follow any particular rules. If you know anything about postmodernism, you know that our current society thrives on creating a sense of limitless truths that encompass any and every mode of thinking without actually believing anything. Without getting too philosophical, let me just say that once again, since Adam and Eve, I think we are just trying to "play God" again. I don't think we give the Creator of the universe enough credit. Many believe the Bible is outdated, and more of a nice rule-based value system than anything else. Based on the history within this book of faith, I would beg to differ.

I recently read a devotional that captured the creativity and power that our God possesses, which we continuously forget. In the Book of Exodus, the Israelites were pretty upset with Moses:

"As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Most people know that this is where the parting of the red sea occurred. I have to admit though, I think if I lived during this time, and I followed Moses out of Egypt and stood between an army and an ocean, I'd think it was a "rock and hard place" kind of moment. When we see a mountain before us and a fire behind us, we are always quick to question why God is missing; when plan A and plan B both fail, why don't we trust that God had a totally different plan altogether? It's simply hard to imagine how you will deal with something that is seemingly impossible to the naked eye and the rational thought, but keep on trusting that there is a more creative, out-of-the-box thinker than yourself that is actually the driving force in this world. Don't limit Him because he is without limits.

The wagon we grabbed at CHOA was such a sweet moment. Look who it's in honor of!?

Our little man is still off of oxygen!

We were blessed with a first time meeting between our boys. Silas and Levi both did amazing!

For the Fourth we were finally a family of four!

Celebrated the fourth with some old-school blueberry picking.

Watch this progression of firework viewing... (first there was fear)

concern

interest

awe

enjoyment

PRAISE-
We are all taking steps to get Levi home! They are thinking in the next 5-10 days!
He is still off of oxygen!
He is tolerating his new feeds via his g-tube and the fundo has kept him from spitting up!
Our boys got to meet and I would have cried tears of joy had I not wanted either child to witness it.

PRAYERS NEEDED-
Levi may have an infection around the g-tube site. He's pretty uncomfortable. He's on antibiotics now, but it may lengthen his hospital stay until it's under control.
Levi still de-sats some (hold his breath), so please pray this in infrequent when he comes home (if at all).
Matthew and I have to "room-in" at CHOA tomorrow for 8 hours so the nurses and doctors can watch us care for our child. We have a lot to learn in a little bit of time. 
We have so many different appointments that have to occur with Levi in the coming months. Please pray for our ability to schedule all of these, and for Levi to have the right therapists and doctors treating him either at home or in clinics. He hasn't had much therapy this last week because of the surgery and holiday. Pray that he doesn't take steps backwards.
Pray that Levi comes home at just the right time, and we all adjust well to the changes.

Thank you so very very much for your constant love!

~Plan Buster