And I Want You To Tell it: Chad Watson's Unyielding Faith

And I Want You To Tell it: Chad Watson's Unyielding Faith: "My message is, don't turn to pain pills, sleeping pills, or alcohol. Just turn to Christ." -Chad Watson   Chad Watso...

Chad Watson's Unyielding Faith

"My message is, don't turn to pain pills, sleeping pills, or alcohol. Just turn to Christ."

-Chad Watson 

Chad Watson's life was forever changed on January 2014. That night his happy family faced unbelievable tragedy as his beloved wife and eight of their cherished children perished when their home burned to the ground. Mr. Watson and his only remaining child, eleven-year-old Kylie, were flown to Vanderbilt in Nashville with life-threatening burns.

This tragic event occurred less than twenty miles from our home, and for weeks tore at the hearts of everyone who knew them  as well as an entire nation. Home folks and celebrities alike covered Mr. Watson and Kylie, in the days of their loss and fight for their own lives, with prayer and gifts. Both are recovering from their physical wounds, though the emotional pain remains.

Recently, Mr. Watson granted an interview with SurfKY.com. When I read his words to the hurting people of the world, I wanted to get his testimony to those who  might not otherwise hear of this man's unyielding faith. Rather than mess it up with my own inadequacy, I've chosen to let Chad Watson speak through the words he gave reporter, Paul McRee.

Mulenberg County - 2/26/2014

"Sometimes it's hard to keep one thing in mind when you're going through your own  grief...and I have been through a lot. But, the fact is, everyone around me has gone through a lot, too. I wasn't the only one who grieved. I'm not the only one who is hurting. It may be appropriate to say that my pain is more than theirs...or the loss is closer to me than it is to them.

But, the truth is (and this is true of everyone), every one's tragedy is as big as it can be to them...While my tragedy has generated a lot of human interest, and garnered the attention  of a lot of media outlets, the truth is, whatever tragedy a person has to deal with is enormous to that particular person.

God is gracious, it seems to me, in that He prepares us, I have never suffered anything like this. But, He prepared me by having me feast on Christ. He prepared me by thinking about where people should turn in times of loss. He prepared me in being able to console others in time of loss, not even knowing the pain they were going through.He prepared me for my own tragedy through small steps along the way. But, I would say to people who are suffering and who hear my story, that I know their hurt is as great to them as mine is to me.

That's why I can say, with a heart full of assurance, that it's the same God that rules over us both. And they can look to God and He is there to comfort them as He was there to comfort me.

God has a plan for my life...God writes the story of our life, and we have to trust the author. So, while I definitely have hopes for me and Kylie; while I certainly have thoughts about the future, I am completely open to whatever direction God leads me."

When Mr. Watson did get out of the hospital. He was only then told about the many people from around the county, the country and the world who offered assistance to Kylie and him.

"Nikki and I and the children struggled in a way that I won't try to describe.  But we had done it for so long, it became pretty run of the mill for us to have the perception that we're out here, on our own and we're trying to make ends meet. We're not relying on anyone else. That's just the way it was. We had made our life what it was and we were happy to do the best we could with it.

But, when the county and surrounding counties, and the nation...but especially Mulenberg County, demonstrated the show of support that it did, and especially when they honored our family the way they did, I was touched.

Like I said on Sunday, it softened our sorrow. To God be the glory!"

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As I have read, re-read, and now typed these excerpts from that interview, I am increasingly struck by this man's gift of ability to speak humbly yet powerfully to broken hearts--regardless of the cause of that pain. And his words remind me that God truly is sufficient--sufficient for death, grief, pain (physical, emotional, and mental) loss and disease. And I an ashamed of my own lack of faith in the face of an ugly and disablimg disease. I, too, want my life to glorify our God, "Lord, help me in times of discouragement and fear to know that You are sufficient."

ENCOURAGING DEWDROPS FROM HEAVEN

We will never know, this side of Heaven, how our life has affected, for good or bad, the people we have known on earth. God, in His loving wisdom, keeps that from us lest we get trapped in the terrible sin of false pride. But, every once in a while, to encourage us, He sends someone to speak a word of gratitude for some way they are thankful for our presence in their lives. I call these special messages "dewdrops from Heaven".Yesterday I read to my husband the following cherished words from a precious lady who has become a trusted friend:

    I know it makes you sad not to be in group and meet new girls. But, I want you to know something. When the group starts up again and I get to go, this is one thing I have to share. A very special lady who never even met me changed my life. She listened when I was broken hearted; she sent me scriptures when I was in need of the Lord; she understood my feelings of guilt and shame; she taught me to trust again, and she loved me without asking anything in return. She gave me hope and believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. So, you see, Sweet Friend, though you may not be there physically, you will be there with me and all the women who hear of our sweet friendship and your caring,

When I finished reading, there were tears in my eyes. My husband smiled and said, "You have a lot of girls, don't you?" It overwhelmed me and I began to weep tears of gratitude. For, he was right. I have many cherished friends, several "daughters", and a special "granddaughter" who honors me by calling me "Mamaw". She says I remind her of her beloved Mamaw whom she misses since she passed away. As I thought about these special "girls" who have so touched my life as they taught me, cried with me, trusted and shared their hearts with me, listened as I shared with them, and allowed me to experience with them the power of Jesus setting us free, I could not help but lift my heart and voice in praise and gratitude. How very blessed this side of Heaven I am! So, perhaps a more appropiate title for this post would have been "Showers Of Blessings" --one of the songs I belted out the words to before I knew I was holding the songbook upside down. But, gratitude was tinged by a shadow of sadness that I have not been able to completely shake. I shared this with my friend and she replied with the words above.

There is s song that we sang often, when I was still able to attend church, entitled "Lay Me Down". The message of this song is that we offer our lives to Jesus while trusting His will when He chooses to set us aside. I meant those words when I sang them. So why am I struggling so? Did I think that because He had blessed me with His passion for hurting women that I was in some way special, or that I was indispensable to the Kingdom of God? I suspect there was a bit of ungodly pride that I was guilty of--in fact I know there was, though I can see it much clearer in hindsight. When God chooses us for a certain mission, He can use us in our weaknesses. But He will not  allow us to accept the glory that is His alone. I would like to think that I have been set aside just long enough to grasp this lesson and that I can continue the precious "work" to which He called me, but I want to be willing to be set aside if that is my Savior's will. And I pray that doesn't sound as if I want to be a martyr. I'm not that brave!

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It occurs to me that I have not told you about another group of people who are the pride of their parents--the five daughters, nineteen living (I think) grandchildren (two who proceeded us to Heaven), and six living great-grandchildren (with another awaiting us in the arms of Jesus). I say we share them because Dick and I each had children when we married in 1976. We are a blended family, and our girls are a part of another blended family whom they love. One of them once wrote an essay in High School describing the benefits of being a part of a family with so much variety. Another wrote and read an essay for her 4H group describing why she so loved her stepfather. We are Nana and Papaw to each of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Our family has given us much joy through the years. Has the sailing all been smooth? Of course not. Strength comes from facing our shortcomings and differences, accepting one another, helping each other through times of grief, sickness, disagreements, betrayal's, sticking together through the bad times, and laughing together through the good ones. I like the quote that was on face book today and feel it can speak of families as well as couples: "Falling in love is easy; staying in love is special."  I would add, "and well worth the effort."

One day I was preparing our Thanksgiving meal and decided I wanted to write something that would express my heart to everyone. After Dick had given thanks, I asked them if they would give me just a few minutes to read something. Overlooking the understandable groans of the children, I shared what I had scribbled. When I finished, each of our daughters said they wanted a copy. I am going to be egoistical enough to "share" it below.

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Our Family



We came together in '76,

This wonderful family of ours.

God gathered the two of us from lives adrift

and tied a knot with His power.

"But, not too tightly,''

He gently spoke.

"We'll save room in your hearts

for those yet to come."

So, it loosens more for each new one.

Two couldn't stay, they went on Home

where they play today around God's throne.

But, fourteen others came to stay,

becoming each a precious delight.

You girls we share are now all grown

into women. wives, and moms so bold;

We've watched with ever-wrinkling brow

as you've surpassed your every goal.

Like the two of us, it's taken a while

for you to trust God's love and  smile.

But in His Word there's a promise true

that He will save us and our households too.

So, we've loosened the strings you thought were so tight,

knowing in the end, He'll make all things right.

Always know you're each one loved

by your earthly families and God above.

For, though we share not all the same genes,

all the same goals or all the same dreams,

the same knot that tied us two together,

has stretched to include you each

today and forever.

From Daddy/Dick and Betty/Mom

Papaw and Nana, too--

Happy Thanksgiving to our family

in this year 2002!



POVERTY OF PAIN?

It's been a while since I've attempted to write anything--mainly because I am now limited to pecking what I post with my left hand. I want to begin this post with selections from a beautiful poem my sister enclosed in her Christmas card a few days ago. But, first I would like to repeat my position on something. I cannot believe that injustice and perverted pain inflicted on innocent people is ever part of God'S plan for anyone. As long as evil exists in the hearts of sinful man, pain and injustice will be a part of life. The theme, then, of this post is not that God sends pain but rather that He is constantly making of that pain, when allowed to do so, somethimg from which we can learn, an example of His grace which can benefit others, and a means by which He is glorified. To me, it is in this context alone that pain makes sense. "God never hurts us needlessly; He never wastes our pain...and He never sends us pleasures when our soul's deep need is pain." In 2003, a dear friend and her husband felt God leading them to begin a ministry of counseling to hurting people. As they wanted the blessings and spiritual support of their church, they met with the elders. One of them expresed the opinion so prevelant, even preached from the pulpit in some churches, that people should just get over things and get on with their lives. (He is now one of their strongest supporters--both in prayer and financial support.) I can't say that he was completely wrong as many people nurse bitter feelings toward those who have hurt their feelings or treated them wrongly. But my friend's desire was to help those whose souls have been too deeply wounded to be able to put the past behind when it is daily affecting their lives years later. As one person put it, "The past isn't the past as long as it affects the present." But when my friend shared this remark in 2003, the phrase "poverty of pain" crossed my mind. It wasn't anything I remembered having heard or read, so I wanted to spend some time meditating and writing my thoughts on it. I've reached the following conclusions which I pray God will continue to develop and correct. At that time, I wrote the following words:"I believe we suffer from a poverty of pain. As humans, we have the propensity to fear pain and do everything in our power to avoid it. For years, I carried a great fear of pain and didn't like to hear anything about sufferimg for Christ." Since I've been diagnosed with Parkinson's and lost so much mobility, I've been told by friends that it isn't God's will for any of us to suffer and if I had enough faith, or if I confessed some hidden sin, God would heal me. I now know how Job felt when his friends came to "comfort" him. I've digressed from my topic, somewhat. But Ive discovered that there is a lot of pain as my muscles stiffen and refuse to move. This morning was the first time my husband was unable to get me out of bed and we were both in tears. In 2003 it was much easier to come up with lofty ideals because of my own poverty of pain. And as my joints have become swollen, stiff, and deformed, there is added pain. The doctor has done blooodwork to see if it might be rhuematoid arthritis. So, I will probably edit what I was going to share. Although I know there are people who suffer greater pain daily, I now don't feel too improvershed of it. This has caused me to rethink some of the things I wrote im 2003. But, it also reafirms others. Pain brings out a person's true character. And I admit I have not liked some of the things it has brought out in me--self pity, anger, self-absorption, etc. But, I am blessed with a husband whose sense of humor keeps us laughing at each other. We are honest enough to cry together when we need to, but the laughter ourweighs the tears. Pain and seemingly unanswered prayers for healing test whether our faith is dependent on what God does for us or in His Soverign wisdom and will for our lives--regardless of the circumstances. Although I would love to be whole physically, I want ro reach the place where my heart longs above everything to allow Him to be glorified through me smehow. Pain gives us greater capacity for compassion for others who are suffering in some way. Until we lose someone close to us in death, we can't really grasp their grief. It is the same with physical or deep emotional pain. The old saying, "Don't jusge someone til you've walked a mile in their shoes" is great wisdom. I realize I've rambled a lot and for that I apologize.