Father's Day 2010

This Father's Day, June 20, 2010, was a very precious celebration of life in the Horner household. I am overwhelmingly grateful to our omnipotent and loving Father God for His mercy in sparing my husband Mike's life and allowing us to celebrate this Father's Day.

June 10, 9:40am: I received a phone call from a dear friend who was with Mike, that no wife or family member ever wants to hear. "Ann, I have just taken Mike to the ER at Arlington Memorial. We think he is having a stroke........"

“God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain" C.S.Lewis

My thoughts were erratic, but my prayers were anything but, as my friend, Kathryn, drove me to that hospital, and I, somewhat distraught, called all the family members, and we requested prayers from every possible area of the country. I discovered Phil 4:6-7 is not easy, and James 5:16 is not difficult, and that you can pray fervently, non-stop, dial phone #'s and carry on a conversation all at the same time. "Oh Dear God, my Loving, Merciful Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior, please let him live to run the race another day, that he can know you as I know you. And not to be selfish Lord, but I am not ready for this cup." or something like that......

10 days ago our Loving Eternal Father opened the floodgates of heaven and answered our profoundly impassioned prayers, poured out an overflowing cup of mercy and granted life. My husband, Mike, had a stroke on Thurs. June 10. We spent 2 days in ICU, 3 additional days in the hospital and he was discharged on Mon, June 14. God heard our prayers and answered with the blessing of healing. The only residual damage Mike has suffered is weakness and lack of coordination in his left hand. The prognosis is that he should be able to recover most, if not all the use of his hand.

"I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, How awesome are Your works, that my soul knows very well"
Psalm 139:14

From time to time in our daily Christian lives, we are tested on what it means to wait on the Lord. I certainly learned what it meant that day as we waited for an answer to our prayers. This time the answer to this particular situation came quickly and was full of mercy and grace. Other times the waiting seems to endure forever, and it seems the answer will never come, or it is not what we wanted to hear. Through this experience which could have had such a different ending, I was very humbled and grateful to the Author of our Faith, our Healer, our Protector, who promised He will finish the work He has started in Mike. This was the best Father's Day ever. I pray that we are blessed with many more Father's Days together and that throughout these, our golden years, we can soar together like eagles in everything we do!

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles......" ISA 40:31