Famous For
Liam had so much more pain on Thursday, the day after his biopsy, than what we were told to expect. His incision was only an inch long, but it was a deep bone biopsy and suddenly he had all that pain on top of the tumor pain.
Zara was sobbing. We’d tried to make secondary plans to go to Virginia Beach to see friends since we couldn’t do most of the things we’d been planning to do, but suddenly we couldn’t even do the secondary plans and her little heart was devastated with so much loss and disappointment.
We called our friends and said, “Could you come here?”
The boys really wanted to record some of their music and Jonathan had offered to bring his equipment and help them. We started realizing how desperately we longed for the gift of their presence. When hard things happen, a lot of people tend to cut a wide swath to give the hurting people space. Sometimes that’s good. But most times, people desperately need someone to show up.
With plans in place, I headed out to grab a few things on Friday. As I was driving out of Goodwill, Tauren Wells song, “Famous For,” came across the library. A few phrases broke through my completely distracted brain and I grabbed the knob to crank the volume as high as it could go. The car shook as the words reverberated through the van. I pulled into the Walmart parking lot, sat to listen as it ended, and immediately pulled it up on youtube to listen again and to send it to David.
This was my fight song for Liam.
Liam had pain all the time, but often when he would move, he would get sharp shooting pains. After we knew, he would quip, “Well, the cancer just took another bite.” I started picturing the cancer as a huge, devouring lion with a gaping mouth.
In the song, these phrases are back to back. “Shut the mouths of lions. Bring dry bones to life. Do what you are famous for. What you are famous for.”
That song would become my prayer for him over and over when I couldn’t formulate words on my own. Shut the mouths of lions. Bring dry bones to life.
“Famous For
There is no fear, ’cause I believe
There is no doubt, ’cause I have seen
Your faithfulness, my fortress, over and overI have a hope found in Your name
I have a strength found in Your grace
Your faithfulness, my fortress, over and overMake way through the waters
Walk me through the fire
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous forShut the mouths of lions
Bring dry bones to life and
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous forI believe in You
God, I believe in YouRelease Your love inside of me
Unleash Your power, for all to see
Spirit, come, and fall on us
Over and over, oh LordMake way through the waters
Walk me through the fire
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous forShut the mouths of lions
Bring dry bones to life and
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous forGod of exceedingly, God of abundantly
More than we ask or think
Lord, You will never fail
Your name is powerful, Your word’s unstoppable
All things are possible in YouGod of exceedingly, God of abundantly
More than we ask or think
Lord, You will never fail
Your name is powerful, Your word’s unstoppable
All things are possible in YouMake way through the waters
Walk me through the fire
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous forShut the mouths of lions
Bring dry bones to life and
Do what You are famous for
What You are famous forI believe in You
I believe in YouThere is no fear ’cause I believe
There is no doubt ’cause I have seen
Your faithfulness, my fortress, over and over”