His Strength is Perfect

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.
He'll carry us when we can't carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong.
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.
      – His Strength is Perfect (Chapman and Salley)

Our hymn of the day spoke to me this morning as I was thinking and praying for this handsome young man.

Remember last Sunday when I was dealing with the shock of Carter's car accident? At that same time, our friends Joe and Michelle were also having a far more serious life-changing moment with their 18-year-old college freshman.

Long story short, Cale went to the ER basically for a wheezing cough. What you might experience with bronchitis or some other virus. Not so in this case. After various X-rays and scans, doctors discovered a mass in Cale's lungs more than 5 inches in circumference. (Think softball.) Then, after a biopsy, they determined it's cancer – thankfully, a treatable Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Since he was in Madison and in the hospital, he already had his first chemo treatment on Thursday. Now he's back home in Wisconsin Rapids. College at UW-Madison and other future plans will have to be put on hold for a bit.

When we say life can change on a dime, this is what we're talking about.

We question why God lets this happen. Why this healthy, active kid gets sick. Why, on the same day my son walks away from a crash without injury does our friends' world come crashing down around them? I know in my head it's not ours to question. But we all do.

Thankfully, part of God's answer is that no matter what happens to us, we don't have to stand strong on our own. His strength begins when ours ends. Even though Cale has a positive attitude about this, if it comes to the point he and his loved ones can't carry on, God will carry them. 

As the song says, God's strength is perfect.

Still... they certainly can use our prayers! It just happens the ribbon color for Hodgkin's Lymphoma awareness is my favorite color. But I'd wear it anyway. It will remind me daily, hourly or as needed to pray for them all. For strength. For comfort. For helpful angels.

If you want to learn more about Cale's story or follow his journey, check out his Caring Bridge site. Again, prayers are always, always, always needed and welcomed! 

Count your blessings and hug your kiddos!