WE HAVE A TRANSPLANT DATE!

If you have been following my blogs then you know that it has been nearly a year since I began the process of qualifying to be a kidney donor, and much, much longer still for my friend Jennifer to be in the place of finding one healthy kidney to replace her diseased kidneys.  Well, the date has finally been set.  On Wednesday, August 14, I will give, and Jennifer will receive, a healthy kidney.

Just the other day I shared with someone about this and they asked if I was sure I knew what I was doing.  Being sure isn’t something I’ve struggled with at all. 

Last summer I, like all the members of our church, knew that Jennifer was on the list for a deceased donor kidney.  Then the doctors gave her the news that in six months to a year she would have to go on dialysis.  So, at the urging of her daughters, Jennifer posted on Facebook a link with information about the process of becoming a living donor.  She wasn’t asking at all for someone to donate to HER, just putting the information out there in case someone might be interested.

I’ve had several surgeries and I can’t say that seeing the link made me say, “Boy, that sounds great!  I think I’ll volunteer!”  It did however, start me thinking, and I knew that the prompting to think was at the direction of God the Holy Spirit, because it wasn’t a here today, gone tomorrow, thought.

What I did think was, “Okay, Lord, this seems like your leading, so I’ll take the first step and see what happens”.  Before I knew it, over the next many months, one step lead to another and then another, all with good test results, until I was finally approved as a donor.  We have been waiting now for many months for Jennifer's kidneys to indicate that the time had come to do the transplant.

Many people from church knew about the transplant by word of mouth but yesterday was the first day that it was put in the bulletin and so many people, out of kindness, greeted me, and without meaning to, made me uncomfortable.

On the one hand, Jennifer and I are counting on the prayers of God’s people and we certainly want them to be praying for us and encouraging us with their words and so they need to know that the surgery is coming soon.  But I'm so uncomfortable when people make it sound as if I am some kind of super person for doing it.  I am SO not! 

I am though prone to pride.  Prone to believe that I really am quite hot stuff.  There is real danger for me in those comments, so let me answer this question for you:

Why am I undergoing an unneeded surgery to give up a perfectly good kidney? 

Well, when I was considering following up on what it takes to be a donor, I did what most of do when faced with a major decision.  I reasoned and came up with this:

·        I’ve had many surgeries and they don’t really scare me.  Surgery wasn’t a stumbling block.

·        I have two perfectly good, healthy kidneys and can certainly spare one for someone who has two diseased kidneys.

·        I’m 66, I think I can live with some diminished kidney function for whatever remaining days the Lord gives me. 

·        I’m in pretty good shape for my age.

·        Jennifer is a woman who loves life.  If I can help give her more good years, then why not?

The absolute bottom line however, and the reason why I didn't dwell on the "What if's", (like surgery complications, infections, even death) was that the Lord had laid Jennifer and her situation on my heart.  It's why I went ahead, and why I couldn't say no, and why I have no second thoughts now.

Does that mean that I’m not anxious?  No, I’m anxious.  Who wouldn’t be anxious about having surgery? 

 

Does that mean that those "what if's" don't occasionally make me afraid?  No. 

 

But, when all is said and done, my over arching emotion is peace.

Today I read in Psalm 29 what David said about God.  He said:

“The LORD is enthroned as King forever, He gives STRENGTH to His people.  He blesses His people with PEACE.”

This is not a situation likely to make Jennifer or me feel strong and at peace.  Humanly, we don’t have what it takes! 

 

However, it is a HUGE encouragement to know that the LORD does! He promises us all the strength and peace we need - every day, every moment, for as long as we need it - and He will deliver!  He IS delivering!   

Without the Lord’s leading, I wouldn’t have the courage for this.  I would not have pursued it.  I would not have gone through the testing.  I would be running the other way now.  But He has led and because HE is in this, He and He alone, deserves any praise.

So please do not tell me I’M something, instead, do what David says in Psalm 29:1:

Ascribe to the LORD GLORY and STRENGTH.  Ascribe to the LORD

 the GLORY DUE HIS NAME.