My day began with me taking the time to find a scripture that had been rattling around in my head for the last few days.  After a google search of "I am doing a new thing, do you not perceive it?"  I came to Isaiah 43:19.  Verse 18 spoke to me too.  Below is part of an email I sent this morning:

Forget the former things,

Do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Is 43:18-19

As I sit in Toronto, I marvel that God keeps giving me birds to hear above the din of traffic, and trees outside our room at Ronald McDonald House that obscure most other buildings, and perfectly frame the CN tower. In the city, he gives what satisfies my outdoor loving soul. How gracious and generous is our God! 

Back to Isaiah: I have been drawn to focus on and anticipate this new work that the Lord is doing. I need to not dwell on the former things: our lives before and the fullness of them, or the beauty and potential of Lydia, .... He is making a way in the desert that is as abundant and generous as this nature filled view of the city from our room. I can trust Him completely.

A couple hours later, in talking about comas to Lydia's nurse, I was surprised to hear that she considered Lydia to be emergent – meaning, coming out of the coma.  So what I thought was coma cloaking her, is actually the reality of her new conscious state.  She is only somewhat responsive.   We have waited for the butterfly to emerge from the cocoon, and so I was hopeful for something breathtaking and beautiful.  Alas, her wings must dry and she must hang before she can take flight.  It will be a long season of more waiting.

This morning's verse came back to me as a promise.  He is doing a new thing.  He is making streams in the wasteland. 

When I look back over the last 6 weeks, it is amazing how far Lydia has come.  Each week will bring progress and growth, but it is sometimes hard to measure it in days.  Lydia was agitated for much of the day.  She had a good therapy session with Ryan and Anne, where they had her sitting up on the side of the bed, and working on holding herself upright, and holding her head up.  She still requires a lot of support.  She worked hard.  When she was tired, and allowed to lie down after, she had the biggest smile on her face, as she lay on the bed, motionless, relieved that her work was done. 

Lydia smiled at memories of funny jokes and laughter shared later in the day.  More encouragement to hold on to that our Lydia is in there, and will emerge over time. A friend encouraged me with her experience with individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injury:  

"Lydia has been responding to her family's voices etc., which means she recognizes family. She is remembering things; she is cognitively processing things you say to her, she is just unable to respond right now. Many kids are completely unresponsive, while Lydia is actually responding, recognizing social relationships. There are definite clues that the Lydia you know and love is in there. Many kids coming out of a coma don't display any recognition of family members while Lydia's smiles are a clear indication that she recognizes your family."

I end today, and perhaps many days to come, where I started it, with Isaiah 43:18-19.

Forget the former things,
Do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Is 43:18-19