You don't have to study very far before you conclude that God's design of the human ear, both outer and inner, is one of the most intricate and compelling evidences of his magnificent power on display in creation!
{if you want to really marvel, read this article:
A distinguished ENT surgeon told me yesterday that, as of yet, medical science has not developed the ability or means to replace, construct, reconstruct or repair parts of the inner ear...
He told me it has been attempted and researched for years without success.
{ I love that humanity finds its limitations, and the intricacy of God's creation eludes them....right there in that little mash-up of bones and cartilage!}
The extent of delicacy and the scope of imagination bound up in such a small space is astounding; all of the tiny parts working together to transform airwaves into electrical impulses which would relay sound. Thereby words are heard, voices are recognized, alarms are heeded, music is enjoyed, information is received, education is obtained...
As creatures created to bear image of our Creator, we hear and receive communication.
This Creator; He divinely choose to use avenues of spoken communication; speaking and hearing within triune fellowship; then to speak with soundwaves that echoed forth and called into existence the universe.
His sound waves called forth this:
And Gods voice called forth this:
[handsome treasured son]
Psalm 139:13-16
"for you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book was written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."
God formed this kid- ears and all- and when he was born, during a blizzard on a first day of December, we named him "Jaydon Paul" , and wrapped him up into our little family with joy.
In 2011, after countless bouts of reoccurring infection and hearing loss due to inner ear fluid, we were told that the hearing loss was not present only as a side effect, but that there was an underlying impairment.
Being such an intricate and elusive part of God's creation, there is not a test or scan that can reveal the exact cause for impairment.
It was just there before us.
On a scale of 1 - 100, his impairment was defined at 30.
Hearing aids were chosen, fitted and ordered.
Ear tubes were placed – twice – to accommodate the fluid retention in his eardrums.
It has been an adventure –
a good one –
one we would never change or choose to exit.
It continues to unfold-
It's direction, timeline, and outcome are known only within the perfect recesses of God's wisdom... His perfect wisdom!
Unfailing and true!
Yesterday, another chapter of Jay's adventure unfolded.
We did not expect the routine hearing test to result in anything other than a half-hour of waiting and freshly detailed hearing aids.
{They are like little vehicles that ride on your ear; needing a good polish and battery check periodically. The difference being, we de-wax rather than wax them;).}
Yesterday brought some harder news for Jay. His baseline hearing has regressed, and done so somewhat rapidly since the last test six months ago.
Where he has been around 30 on the charts, he is now listed at 45–50.
In addition, one of his ears drums has completely concaved in on itself; indicating a Eustachian tube without any function at all.
Being such an intricate and complex aspect of God's design in the human body, there is no way for us to determine the exact cause of regression or to ascertain whether it will continue, and on what timetable etc.
If he were to continue on this pattern, all hearing capacities could be gone by his mid-teens.
"The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
All your works shall praise your name,
oh Lord..." Ps145
Our God, our Hearing God -His intricacy does not stop with the untouchable anatomy of an inner ear,
but the depth of his creativity reaches beyond our imagination and logic.
That, in his divine sovereignty, he would create a little boy with imperfect hearing capabilities, and then allow that even those limited abilities may continue to slip away until they are gone.
Through the eyes of faith, we receive and acknowledge this as beautiful grace to be received; God's perfect design and purpose for our boy!
On that snowy day when we called him, "Jaydon Paul"...
God was at work.
Jaydon is Hebrew : "God has heard"
Paul of the NT penned these words surrounding ongoing suffering,
"but he said to me, "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2Cor12
We named a little boy who would grow into weak hearing for a God who hears and an apostle whose weaknesses became strengths because of God's sufficient grace!
From the beginning, mercy rampant!
In the nearest future, we have been referred to consult with an Otolaryngologist who works out of Fraedert and Children's hospitals.
There is most likely a surgery in the near future to reconstruct the collapsed eardrum in Jay's left ear.
We will see Dr. Harvey on April 29 after we return from our spring break vacation.
Beyond that, we will walk this road with one step at a time in receiving as it unfolds, and we covet your prayer support!
We are desperate for God's wisdom to maneuver us as we walk alongside our son in his suffering and loss.
Steve and I have wept and prayed together more than once in the past 24 hours...
{ I am so thankful that parallel to God's perfect plans for Jay's ears, he has also perfectly handpicked Jay's father who will shepherd and love him well.}
Steven shared with me this morning 4 points of focus that God laid on his heart for us in moving forward. Would you please pray through these with us and remind us of them when we forget?
1- Steve wants us to actively bank on God's promises fulfilled to us through Christ. To do so in ways that would be very visible and accessible for Jay.
He wants us to lay a strong foundational pattern that God is the Fulfiller of every promise He has made.
Our deepest desire for Jay is that the ears of his heart would be unplugged and respond fully to the sound of the Gospel.
2- Steve desires that we would cultivate a greater focus on Thanksgiving in the big and small, hard or easy ... bringing the kids along with us in that.
3- he wants us to pursue relational connection and enjoyment with Jay.
Being our middle child – he does get lost in the mix a bit already, and so there is room for a greater prioritizing of one-on-one times.
4- on a very practical level, we want to "help J hear" now.... Becoming more intentional about drawing his attention to the sounds he can hear now but may not one day. Birds, wind, waves etc.
Our voices, his favorite music...
He wants us to lay a strong foundational pattern that God is the Fulfiller of every promise He has made.
Our deepest desire for Jay is that the ears of his heart would be unplugged and respond fully to the sound of the Gospel.
2- Steve desires that we would cultivate a greater focus on Thanksgiving in the big and small, hard or easy ... bringing the kids along with us in that.
3- he wants us to pursue relational connection and enjoyment with Jay.
Being our middle child – he does get lost in the mix a bit already, and so there is room for a greater prioritizing of one-on-one times.
4- on a very practical level, we want to "help J hear" now.... Becoming more intentional about drawing his attention to the sounds he can hear now but may not one day. Birds, wind, waves etc.
Our voices, his favorite music...
His greatest concern, as of yesterday, is the anticipation of another surgery. This one will likely be far more uncomfortable in the healing process than he has yet experienced. He needs prayer for courage based upon an understanding of God ever present care and goodness.
He is very quiet and sober at the mention of how his ears have "gotten worse", but we are unsure to what extent he understands or comprehends the possibility of deafness. We are currently focusing on answering his questions in the timing he asks them.
As J has grown, and runs in circles with older and older children, his hearing aids have garnered some hurtful attention and become something he says he "hates".
Unlike the four-year-old who was just happy to hear better when he first received them, he now feels very different in wearing them. We look for every opportunity to share the truth with him as this particular "difference" exposes layers of his heart, and yet we yearn for the Holy Spirit to actively drive the comfort of that truth home for Jay.
Thank you for reading this long post,
for loving and unconditionally accepting our son,
and for praying for us!
We are abundantly blessed!
Look forward with us to this:
"then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, AND THE EARS OF THE DEAF UNSTOPPED; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert… And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion was singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness enjoy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Is35
{Oh the crazy fun}
