a reminder... for myself.
My friend Gina had a post on her blog about another blog she had been reading. I clicked on the link out of curiosity (you all know how much I love reading other people's blogs) and began reading. I sat on the couch for a good hour, reading page after page after page of this family's journey through difficult trials and God's mercy and grace to them through it all.
I went through an entire box of tissue and found myself in awe of God, first of all, but secondly, in awe of the peace, comfort and hope He has blessed this couple with.
I posted the link so that you can take a look yourself, but the short version of the story is that their 4th little girl, born in April, lived only 2 1/2 hours and then went on to be with the Lord. She had several conditions that her parents we told of months before she was born, but that doesn't lessen the grief and sorrow of her passing.
I finished reading, took a deep breath and stared down at my stomach. There, living, breathing and growing within me is a very healthy little girl. I have very few worries and basically have her birth and life to look forward to. True, I have no idea what a day will bring. I don't know the mind or plans of God and He can and will do whatever He sees best for our family.
But right now, our knowledge of our baby girl is that she will be a very healthy and strong baby. We put the crib together last week, organized the closet and bought a changing table (our first ever!). Life is moving forward for us... we eagerly anticipate meeting our baby and watching Ethan and Rachel kiss and love their new sister for the very first time. We know that God willing, it will be a wonderful day, full of future expectations and joys to follow.
All I could think of, was this family's journey with their little baby Audrey Caroline. Knowing at 20 weeks that she did not look healthy and would probably not be born alive (a gift God gave them in the end!) I quickly begin sobbing, remembering my friends Scott and Erin Adams and their journey with their firstborn Gabriel Scott. Remembering the pain and agony they went through in losing him, but also seeing God raise them up and give them an even stronger faith in Him; giving them such an awesome opportunity (which they took) to praise and worship a perfect and holy God, in spite of the sadness they were facing.
I know all children are incredible miracles and rich little blessings, but I can't help but think that parents who have lost their precious little baby (or older child), can only appreciate and enjoy their future blessings a little more - knowing full well what it means to lose that gift.
The purpose of this post is to say that I'm thankful. I'm so thankful to God for giving us 2 healthy babies and what looks to be a healthy 3rd baby. I do not want to take for granted any of His blessings... but I know I do and I will. I hope that when our baby comes into this world, I will look into her eyes and be reminded of how truly amazing birth and life is. How we're all in God's hands and how He sustains our every breath, daily. I want to remember every day to be thankful.
Part of me thinks I should go check out this blog on a daily basis, just to remind myself of that. I hate grumbling and complaining. I hate acting like my life is so out-of-the-norm or feeling like a rough day for me is like NOTHING anyone else has ever experienced. I hate naval gazing.
I hope that I will remember to pray for this wonderful family. I'd like to be able to send a note to them and let them know that I will do my best to remember them at least once a week in my prayers.
I'm so thankful for people like them that chose to carry the life God is knitting, and for doing what the world sees as "useless" but God sees as heroic. I love that little Audrey Caroline was blessed to meet her family -- see her Mama's face smiling at her, feel her lips kiss her face, and be able to hear her Daddy's voice and feel him touch her and give her her very first bath. I wonder if they realized how much they blessed her in that. Instead of throwing her life out like it was a waist of their time and acting more like she was an annoyance, than the amazing miracle of God's wonderful creation that she was. How people can be so heartless and self focused... I'll never understand.
So... if you have time (and you may not need to take as much as I did) I would encourage you to take a look at this blog. Read their story and see how God touches your heart. I promise He will. :)
I went through an entire box of tissue and found myself in awe of God, first of all, but secondly, in awe of the peace, comfort and hope He has blessed this couple with.
I posted the link so that you can take a look yourself, but the short version of the story is that their 4th little girl, born in April, lived only 2 1/2 hours and then went on to be with the Lord. She had several conditions that her parents we told of months before she was born, but that doesn't lessen the grief and sorrow of her passing.
I finished reading, took a deep breath and stared down at my stomach. There, living, breathing and growing within me is a very healthy little girl. I have very few worries and basically have her birth and life to look forward to. True, I have no idea what a day will bring. I don't know the mind or plans of God and He can and will do whatever He sees best for our family.
But right now, our knowledge of our baby girl is that she will be a very healthy and strong baby. We put the crib together last week, organized the closet and bought a changing table (our first ever!). Life is moving forward for us... we eagerly anticipate meeting our baby and watching Ethan and Rachel kiss and love their new sister for the very first time. We know that God willing, it will be a wonderful day, full of future expectations and joys to follow.
All I could think of, was this family's journey with their little baby Audrey Caroline. Knowing at 20 weeks that she did not look healthy and would probably not be born alive (a gift God gave them in the end!) I quickly begin sobbing, remembering my friends Scott and Erin Adams and their journey with their firstborn Gabriel Scott. Remembering the pain and agony they went through in losing him, but also seeing God raise them up and give them an even stronger faith in Him; giving them such an awesome opportunity (which they took) to praise and worship a perfect and holy God, in spite of the sadness they were facing.
I know all children are incredible miracles and rich little blessings, but I can't help but think that parents who have lost their precious little baby (or older child), can only appreciate and enjoy their future blessings a little more - knowing full well what it means to lose that gift.
The purpose of this post is to say that I'm thankful. I'm so thankful to God for giving us 2 healthy babies and what looks to be a healthy 3rd baby. I do not want to take for granted any of His blessings... but I know I do and I will. I hope that when our baby comes into this world, I will look into her eyes and be reminded of how truly amazing birth and life is. How we're all in God's hands and how He sustains our every breath, daily. I want to remember every day to be thankful.
Part of me thinks I should go check out this blog on a daily basis, just to remind myself of that. I hate grumbling and complaining. I hate acting like my life is so out-of-the-norm or feeling like a rough day for me is like NOTHING anyone else has ever experienced. I hate naval gazing.
I hope that I will remember to pray for this wonderful family. I'd like to be able to send a note to them and let them know that I will do my best to remember them at least once a week in my prayers.
I'm so thankful for people like them that chose to carry the life God is knitting, and for doing what the world sees as "useless" but God sees as heroic. I love that little Audrey Caroline was blessed to meet her family -- see her Mama's face smiling at her, feel her lips kiss her face, and be able to hear her Daddy's voice and feel him touch her and give her her very first bath. I wonder if they realized how much they blessed her in that. Instead of throwing her life out like it was a waist of their time and acting more like she was an annoyance, than the amazing miracle of God's wonderful creation that she was. How people can be so heartless and self focused... I'll never understand.
So... if you have time (and you may not need to take as much as I did) I would encourage you to take a look at this blog. Read their story and see how God touches your heart. I promise He will. :)
Comments
Thanks for sharing this!