Some Much Needed Counsel and Reminders

General Conference in the PICU

 This weekend was General Conference.  Twice a year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) hold a world-wide conference where we hear counsel and direction from our leaders.

Oh, how I needed it.  I listened yesterday as I drove home for a few hours and nearly cried as I felt the comfort, the strength, wash over me.  As President Eyring opened the meeting and reminded and promised that we would receive personal guidance and direction as we trusted in the Spirit, I felt the truth of his words.

Then as others spoke about our divine nature, our eternal families, I knew and remembered that yes, I know these truths and they anchor and guide me.

Always one of my favorites, President Uchtdorf shared tender childhood memories of war-torn Germany and the rebuilding of the Frauenkirche in Dresden.  They used some of the original, fire-blackened stones in the reconstruction.  He said that scars are not only a reminder of the past, but also a monument to hope.  I loved that idea.  And he told us that if man is capable of reconstructing a building such as this, imagine what God can do with repairing and rebuilding our lives if we will but let Him.

I've struggled lately.  I seem to go in cycles.  But I've been feeling the "world is too much with me" (sorry Wordsworth). I haven't felt the peace and calm I need.  I've been irritable, worried, uptight.  And I'm not just talking about Aaron and his needs.  This has been an overall theme for the past several weeks, maybe months.  I needed these peaceful gentle reminders.

Leaving the PICU.
Moving this kid creates a logistical challenge.

And probably the best one of all came in the opening hymn to this morning's session.  I'm sitting in an ICU room with my son.  My son whose condition is "incompatible with life."  And the choir sings, "My life is a gift; my life has a plan.  My life has a purpose, in heav'n it began.  My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth, and seek for God's light to direct me from birth."

YES!  His life, my life, your life, it is a gift.  A precious, wonderful, tender gift from our Father.

After the morning session was over, my silly, goofy son was finally transferred up to the floor.  As he left the PICU, the doctor told him that they weren't saving his bed space for him, so he needed to simply get better and head on home.  I'm hoping he listened.  He's still using too much oxygen to go home tomorrow, but maybe it's not too many more days away.

His cousin is also hanging out up here and he and his parents came by and said "hi."  My brother-in-law said the reason we're still here is because we've made it too fun for him, no wonder he's partying.  He does have a pretty cool set-up for his bed.  But I'm hoping that he remembers it's also fun at home.

And I'm grateful for the reminders of my Heavenly Home that I hope someday to return to.  \

Life: It is about the gift not the package it comes in. 

~Dennis P. Costea, Jr.