Snow engulfed south Texas with a historic four-day storm that sustained sub-freezing temperatures this February. Multiple inches of snow blanketed the landscape, roads and roofs. Our city shut down because of dangerous travel conditions on icy roads along with power and water failures. The storm created an unparallel and unforeseen crisis for south Texas.
To add to all this, the storm occurred during one peak of COVID-19 infection. The storm brought additional stress to the already exhausted and stretched staff. I provide both emotional and spiritual support to patients and staff as a hospital chaplain and I was very concerned for their physical and emotional wellbeing during this storm.
Historic snow storm named Uri
Since the highways were closed, I needed to drive on the surface roads with no functioning traffic lights. The trek into the hospital required dodging long lines of traffic at the few taco restaurants that had electricity. The grueling one and a half hour drive to work made me tired before I started my day.
During the storm, the sun peeked out behind the clouds. A ray of hope and a dream came true amid the storm.
The sun peeked out behind the clouds.
Let me introduce you to Monica, a young adult staff member who displayed dedication to her patients. She excelled in her job, regardless of the demands of patients or staff. Taking care of patients can be a thankless job, but her patients appreciated her, especially her compassion and engaging manner. Monica exhibited a calling to this work.
Our friendship started when we realized we were born on the same day: a mutual birthday gave us a hook that formed a bond between us. Monica often joked and happily related tales of her young son pulling out her phone to show birthday pictures. Her conversation revealed her love for motherhood.
Monica lived with her fiancée, the father of her son. Extended family tension and tight finances concerned her. I listened, encouraged, and gave her emotional support.
One day, her voice was full of excitement and her brown eyes sparkled as she told me of her second pregnancy. When we met at the nurse’s station, she gave me updates on her pregnancy and showed sonogram images. However, that soon changed.
A few months into Monica’s pregnancy, complications set in, endangering her and the baby. Each week, the complications grew. She expressed anxiety about how she could continue with the physical demands of her job and how would she talk to her boss about a lighter workload. I reassured her of ways she could approach her boss. She fretted most about the health of her unborn daughter. Monica’s cheerful continence faded and a pained expression showed in her big brown eyes. We discussed her concerns, and I prayed with her right in the hall, comforting her that God was with her.
A mother’s concern for her child supersedes her concern for herself. Mothers devote incredible focus and energy to birthing a healthy baby. Monica was no different.
A mother’s concern for her child supersedes concern for herself.
At six months, Monica required hospitalization in order to ensure proper monitoring of her health and of her baby. I visited her regularly in the Antepartum Unit of our hospital. Her eyes welled with tears as she voiced the overwhelming fear and anxiety that her daughter might not live, or if her daughter did survive, would she be okay? She appeared frail and pale, expressing how lying-in bed with an unknown outcome can be excruciating. I hurt for her and imagined what I would go through if I was in her situation. I reminded myself that God is close to the brokenhearted. I prayed for her privately and felt like I carried a burden for her.
A chaplain is “to comfort heartbroken individuals and to help others with their spiritual needs and bring them into God’s sheepfold.” (Chaplain Bob Ossler in Triumph over Terror p 147)
When I was with Monica, I prayed with her, encouraged her and gave her hopeful literature with Scripture that directed her focus to God.
I shared with her Psalm 23:1-4 (NIV):
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Even though she was in a dark valley, God was with her. In the middle of her worry, I could tell that Monica was growing in inner strength and resilience.
God’s presence never leaves no matter how dark the valley.
Her religious background was unclear to me, but I knew church was not part of her life. I noticed Monica holding on to the words I gave and the prayers I prayed. She expressed appreciation for my visits and I was grateful that I could see her. With each visit, I could tell that she was connecting to God and gaining some peace.
Monica delivered Isabella a few days shy of seven months in her pregnancy. Breathing issues and low birth weight caused this little one to be placed in Neonatal Intensive Care. She could not hold Isabella the first week because of all the tubes. I prayed, laying my hands on the incubator. I prayed with Isabella’s parents at the crib side, asking for good growth. Monica’s faith grew, and she became more hopeful after Isabella’s steady improvement. At a week old, she could hold her little girl.
It was a big moment when Isabella got off oxygen. Although eating was another leap for her, she developed and matured appropriately for a premature baby.
Finally, after four or five weeks, the long-awaited time came for Isabella to go home. What a triumphant moment for Monica and her finance! They were thankful to God for answering prayers for a healthy little girl. I was delighted to witness Isabella’s homecoming. God answered prayers for Isabella – a miracle. This homecoming was a sacred moment for this family.
A little miracle!
When Monica returned to work, she caught me up on Isabella’s progress and showed pictures. Even though there were ups and down in her development as a premature baby, she passed all the neurological tests with great doctor reports. God had answered her prayers. Joy returned to her countenance.
Joy is greater when the worry is more intense. Answers to prayers seem bigger when the odds are greater. Miracles show God’s fingerprints.
A year later….
“Guess what, Charleen?” Monica’s face lit up as she brushed her dark brunette hair way from her face, catching me l on my way to start my morning shift while finishing her night shift.
“What is going on?” I stopped my walking and turned toward her.
“I’m getting married!”
“Wow! Tell me about it,” I smiled and wanted to know all about this joyous news.
I wish I could capture Monica’s exuberance in her voice and the radiance on her face when she told me about getting married. She shared the importance and significance of marriage for her. As a chaplain, I see many young women not married having babies. I don’t know their back story of why they are not being married. This is the first time she revealed her desire to marry to me.
“I want my children to grow up with both parents being committed to each other in marriage. Marriage has been a dream of mine. I wanted my fiancée to ask me to get married, but I was afraid that he would not. I love him and he is my soul-mate and the father of my two children… He proposed to me!”
I learned that the stability and loyalty that marriage offered mattered to her.
Loyalty and stability mattered to her.
“What wonderful news. I am so happy for you.”
“This is going to seem so different, going from being single to married.”
“Yes, your identity will change and yes, that will be different. You will no longer have a single identity but a marriage identity.”
This February, he proposed to her. Our city offered free marriage ceremonies for the month. Usually, the offer was only limited to Valentine’s Day but because of COVID-19 with the need for safe distancing; the city offered free ceremonies during the entire month.
“We are going to get dressed up with the children (one and three years old now) to make it special. My mother will be there and we will take pictures.” Monica talked about God being good to her.
“Do you have a wedding dress?” I inquired.
“Yes, let me tell you what happened. I saw a dress on OFFER-UP for $50.00 and I contacted the woman to let her know I was interested, but said that I was not sure it would fit. I told her it would have to wait until Friday when I got paid. The woman suggested that we meet. The dress fit and she gave it to me for free!” I could hear the delight in her voice as she related the tale of the wedding dress.
“What an awesome provision of a wedding dress. God provided a dress for you. I am so happy for you,” as I thought that there is nothing like a bride’s joy.
Then she said something that equally surprised me.
“No one in my family has ever married. I want to give my children more.”
I wondered what she felt growing up without her parents being married. Could she have felt emotionally insecure or ashamed of not having her parents be Mr. and Mrs.? Could she have not been sure if her father would stay or leave?
Monica wanted a different story for her children; she shared their legacy.
I felt honored that she shared and trusted her story with me.
Her wedding pictures were like looking into a snow globe – Monica in her beautiful white wedding dress, her finance in his suit and the children dressed in their jackets at their feet in a gazabo canopied by snow.
Amid a traumatic storm in south Texas, an unpredicted ray of hope and light shone through the storm. When snow crippled the city, that same snow provided a gorgeous backdrop for a sacred event.
I think how God is working in unexpected ways–“Sometimes we expect God’s presence but we can’t predict it.” (Jessica La Grone) These unexpected glimpses that may seem ordinary are, in fact, are holy moments.
We have unexpected holy moments.
When do sacred moments occur? They happen not only in church or in nature. Sacred moment can appear ordinary, daily life that we often take for granted. Seeing those sacred times is more about having ours eyes open, ears listening and an open, searching heart.
“Live with the awareness that everything–every aspect of the story, even on this particular day – is sacred. Today and every day, you walk on holy ground.” (Chris Tiegreen – Salt and Light Devotional)
We ask ourselves, where is God working today?
