But those that are planted on the good soil are ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty fold and sixty fold, even a hundredfold. -Mark 4:20
God planted people to be growing in our path long before we ever knew we would need them. For example, God planted Tony seventy-five years before I would need him to be on the same plane, in the same Honolulu airport, heading in the same direction as me. Tony is a retired military man who has traveled the world. But God planted this good man in good soil (Tony loves the Lord) and in due season, Tony was right where God needed him to be. And Tony was able to bear much fruit, as his spirit was kind and his heart was soft. In other words, Tony noticed me. Had he been self-centered and cold-hearted, he would not have cared about my distress. He may have ignored it. Most likely he would not have seen it.
God planted Kim to be along for the journey to Kansas. She drove. She had a kind spirit and a soft heart to take me to Kansas City International. I did not know Kim two years ago.
God planted Mary and Nathan at the organic farm in Pahoa. Eric needed kind men to bother to return him to the ER after the first trip resulted in being sent home with antibiotics. Those boys saved Eric's life. I have no doubt. Eric languishing in pain was too afraid to drink water because that meant an excruciating trip to the bathroom. Rat Lungworm Meningitis may not have killed Eric directly, but dehydration and organ failure could have. Meningitis is a swelling of the lining of the brain. Those parasites were literally eating the sugar from Eric's spinal fluid. It was the good ship, Lollipop; a free trip to the candy shop. Those critters traveled until they were trapped in the meninges of Eric's brain, where they died.
It is a scenario that is hard for a mom to think about, let alone write on paper. But the truth is, Marty and Nathan could have sided with the farmer who thought western medicine was of little use to Eric. They could have used the available excuses that made it hard to get to Hilo: one car to share with all the workers, an hour's drive, we've already taken him once and were sent back home, there was work to be done, why not give the antibiotics more time, why not let Eric sleep it off. I am so glad those boys had kind spirits and soft hearts. They heard Eric's plea. They saved his life.
God planted Sharon, Graham, and David (Rat Lungworm survivors) to be willing and able to walk into Eric's room for "show and tell". They showed us they beat the Rat. They told us the hope of medicine, time, therapy, and faith. When you are in the midst of a great storm it is nearly impossible to imagine calm. God planted these people, allowed them to contract RLW, and through that experience they grew to be compassionate, willing, partners in His grace.
God planted Russell, Veronica, John, Martin, Robert and many other highly competent medical professionals at Hilo Medical Center to care for Eric and to hold me up. I call them pillars. When you have a hard time walking in the wind, it is good to have pillars lining your path. You can lean on them, stop and rest, and gain some composure to continue on.
God planted Sally D, Sally J, Jan, and Alice as pillars at the Kansas writers' conference. "May I pray with you?" on their name tags translated to me, "I have God on the phone, what do you need?"
God planted Dr. Martell. You see Dr. Martell is a Rat Lungworm expert because, as he said, someone has to be! No one knows much about this awful disease that Dr. M refers to as a "train wreck". Hard to treat something you know nothing about. Dr. M was in Europe for two months. He got back to Hilo in late October. He doesn't work in the ER, but he caught sight of Eric's train wreck and ordered the experimental, yet best-option, treatment. This gave Eric a three week jump-start. Those parasites did not register on any test until spinal tap number three. Dr. Martell was growing in the right place at the right time on November 10, 2011.
God planted Puna Covenant Church and Christ Lutheran Church with loving members. Eric's name made their prayer lists. Members stopped in to pray. They brought cookies and socks, sandwiches and love. Barbara knew how to knit so well that she could pray 16,000 stitches into socks for me. When did God plant that seed? She baked my three favorite kinds of Christmas cookies. I didn't tell her. God did.
God planted good seeds back home, as well. Entire classrooms rallied around Eric's wellness campaign. Mr. Becker's third graders sent the sweetest cards. Ms. Albitz's art class sent wallpaper of hope. Mr. McDonald got the wrestling team to send encouraging words. Danice, Denise, and Rose worked together to send a blizzard of love. Hundreds of you bothered to sign a snowflake.
I could go on. And on. The point is, those who grow where they are planted- with a soft heart toward God- bear much fruit! It might take seventy-five years for one of the branches to produce, but when it does, look out! And grab a bushel basket.
The thing is, no one looks at their every-day circumstances and thinks they are doing mighty deeds. All I can do is to try to convince you, those every-day deeds are so important their value cannot be measured by earthly standards. The tiniest of kindnesses made all the difference in the world to us. Be open, be aware, be kind-spirited, and be softhearted. You will bear much fruit!
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