Family trip to the March for Life begins rather ominously
Letter to the Editor,
Some people may question whether plans for a cross-country flight should proceed after three life-changing events.
Just more than two weeks before our flight, my husband and son were enjoying a beautiful day of skiing. On what was to be his last run of the day, my husband, The Rev. Steven Thomas of St. John Lutheran Chruch in Libby, did a “yard sale” and injured his knee. Although he was able to ski down the mountain and drive home, the need for crutches and a knee brace followed.
Four days before our departure we received a phone call from a fellow pastor in Columbia Falls. A church member, living in the Virginia home, who my husband had visited on Monday, was now in the hospital and not expected to live through the night. When the phone rang that evening, we received news that Truman had been called home with Jesus. As Truman’s pastor, my husband toiled with what to do. After speaking with the family, church elders, and the pastor from Columbia Falls, who volunteered to conduct the funeral, we were reassured that going on the trip was the right thing, a generous gift from St. John Lutheran Church.
Our oldest son would be accompanying us on the trip. However, our daughter and youngest son would be staying home with family friends. This was the first time we were to leave our children for such a length of time. We had our concerns but trusted in God’s grace. We exchanged precious hugs with “I Love You” and were on the road.
Wait, we forgot something! U-turn! What would a trip be without at least one u-turn?
Since our flight was scheduled to depart Spokane at 6 a.m., we left Libby the night before; this was when serious doubt flooded our thoughts.
We had finished dinner when I glanced over to see dishes breaking as my husband tumbled to the floor. I leapt to his side calling out his name, “Steven… Steven… Steven…do you hear me?” “Someone call 911!” Gently shaking his shoulder I knelt my face to his ear, “Jesus, please be with him,” was my plea.
Within seconds he came to. The EMT arrived, and I explained that he had experienced dehydration because of flu-like symptoms early in the day.
At the hospital he received two liters of saline. Before being discharged around 11 p.m., my husband stated, “I think someone doesn’t want me to go.”
It’s no surprise to us the numerous ways we were distracted from going, but God has bigger plans.
With only four hours of sleep we arrived in Washington, D.C. On Jan. 25, and gathered with nearly 500,000 people from all generations and countless walks of life for a peaceful demonstration in the March for Life.
Those gathered were not only religious folks, but leading politicians, musicians, embryologists, massive numbers of high school and college students, just to name a few.
In the last 40 years since Roe vs. Wade 55 million babies have been aborted. All life is precious. This trip won’t be forgotten.
— Lisa Thomas
Libby