Baby Anthony. The Lessons. Part 1

As you can imagine, there are seemingly hundreds of lessons that Christen and I have learned through this ordeal. But there are some that just seem to rise to the top.
Below is a lesson on Character.

You know that saying: “Character is not formed during a trial, rather it is on display?”

Well, during those eventful days I watched Christen’s character come out -and it was sparkling.
She went from a wife to a mother in a blink of an eye.
She not only cared for me, but as a RN, she literally did the jobs of the nurses at West Penn.
Feeding Anthony, changing him, kissing him back to life, and so on…
There were several occasions where I would watch her hold baby Anthony and close her eyes while standing up…never quitting on her son.
Hours of sleeplessness never shook her from taking care of her boy.

During this time, everyone was amazed at Christen and I.
They continued to comment on how we had acted with grace and dignity toward everyone…especially with one another.

My response to this is that Christen and I did not start that kind of relationship on January the 10th 2011.
It was being lived out every day since the day we had met.

We had made a commitment to one another, and that commitment was rooted in loving one another just as Christ has loved His church.
And if you know anything about the way Jesus loves
--then you will know that He was caring, compassionate, graceful, honest, and any other of the greatest qualities that your mind can conjure up at this point.

I have heard it said that the strongest metal goes through the hottest fire.

And believe me when I tell you that the heat dial during this time for us has been turned on to a white heat that melts everything in its path.

Thankfully we lean on stronger arms

The mighty One who continues to sustain us...

"From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

-Psalm 61:2