God with Us

Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?

I love celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, with family and friends. But my favorite Christmas was when Emmanuel ("God with us") became absolutely real.

In early September 2007, my husband James purchased tickets for Germany and UK. We looked forward to flying on Christmas Day. A week later, James noticed something strange with his left eye. By mid October, a retina specialist diagnosed that he was losing central vision because of a "macular hole."

The doctors explained a procedure to save it: a vitrectomy.

"After we remove your vitreous sack and replace it with a gas bubble, you have to keep your face down. With the gas bubble pressing gently against the retina wall, hopefully new cells will grow to fill the tiny hole naturally ... It will take six to eight weeks. Until then, you cannot fly."

James signed up for the first available slot, Tuesday, November 13, exactly six weeks before our flight.

The surgery went smoothly. But at home James developed excruciating headache and vomited several times that night. He was obviously in pain as he kept pressing his figures onto his temples. Trying to help, I asked many questions without getting any answer. When he shouted, "Leave me alone!" I knew things were bad.

The next morning, I drove an hour and a half to the doctor's clinic. Sitting in the back seat, James leaned forward and rested his head on a pillow to keep his face down. The doctor explained that the headache and vomiting were caused by the expanding gas. Eye pressure rose when the bubble pushed onto the retina wall. We were put into a usually unavailable examination room (now serving as an "Eye ICU") during the day. That way, the doctor could come in anytime to monitor James' eye pressure and administer various types of eye drops.

In the next few days, James' left eye pressure climbed as high as 53. (The normal is between 9 to 21.) We ended up staying in the "Eye ICU" everyday. In the evening we returned home where I sent e-mail updates and prayer requests. Support poured in.

By the time his eye stabilized, recovery was already delayed for one week. Skeptical about flying, I wondered if we should cancel our flights. James answered in his facedown position, "I would rather risk losing the money. We have waited three years for this mission trip." I knew he was right. Even in our ups and downs, we had to trust God.

I would have to write a book to tell you about other complications and scares, and share overwhelming details about our pains, fears and hope. Just imagine our joy when the doctor said to James, "Good news from the scan! Your macular hole has closed and your retina remains attached. You are cleared to fly."

On Christmas Day, we flew from San Francisco to Germany. The best part? Spending Christmas with deepest gratitude that God is with us no matter what.

For Chinese, read a similar (but not identical) article at http://winnischiang.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-post.html

With Christ, there is hope, help and healing! Stay toned for my most recent blessings this Christmas.

Will you share your favorite Christmas memory with me?

Don't have one? How about making the best of this year's Christmas by focusing on God?

Whether you feel it or not, the TRUTH is that God loves you and sent His beloved Son for you.

Are you skeptical like I was? Start counting your blessings and you will be amazed, just like me!

Merry Christmas!

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Winnis Chiang, LMFT and Founder of ParentingABC.com, specializes in helping Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking high-tech Christian parents to get along with, enjoy, influence and equip their American-born Chinese children.