God, My Earth-suit is Not Fitting Right

This is a repost from last year and I thought I'd share it again in honor of my Daddy for Father's Day as well as his upcoming one-year cancer birthday!  Happy Father's Day!! 

My Dad is in the hospital...again!  For those of you who don't know, he was diagnosed with Stage III Renal Cell Carcinoma several months ago.  He underwent a partial nephrectomy (took out part of his kidney) in July.  He has battled a leaking kidney since then.  He's had a stent placed and has never been without his good friend 'foley catheter'.  It's been no fun.  We didn't want it for him and I know he could've done without it. 
But as my sister-in-law said, "It's not why me, but why NOT me?"  No one wants to deal with health problems, but we live in a broken, sinful world and our bodies reflect that here on earth.  Thank God that we'll be whole on the other side, but until then we must travel in these not so great 'earth-suits' that most of the time just don't seem to fit right.
He was supposed to go back to work part-time this week, but once again God has His hand all over it.  He's not ready.  He doesn't even have the strength to go all day without a nap--definitely unable to go back to a management position at the hospital.  And of course God knows that.  Sometimes He has to put up obstacles to save us from ourselves.  A little fever here, a leaking kidney there--it's all in His plan.
It's been in His plan all along.  The way the cancer was found was all God.  Dad went to the ER for a totally unrelated problem, had a CT scan, and the edge of the mass was caught on tape!  Things unfolded from there and God met us at every corner.
From the preacher that prayed with Dad at the car lot to the admitting nurse who asked to pray over him before surgery--God has shown up in a mighty way.  We don't understand why God allows things to happen to us or our loved ones, but we know from His word that:
'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.' Romans 8:28


Papa John & Baby Charlie

Sometimes the good isn't seen on this side of heaven, but sometimes He gives us a glimpse of the tapestry He is weaving that is our lives.  The question is--how will we respond to the path He calls us to travel as the tapestry unfolds?  I want to walk mine with strength, peace, and purpose for the cross.  I know my Dad does too.  We'll see where the path goes from here.  Wherever it takes us will never be away from His side.

'I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.'  Isaiah 42:16

*Today, Dad is cancer free and back at work full-time.  He feels great and we thank God this Father's Day for the blessing of having our Dad/Papa here with us still!*