I will tell you what really matters to me...my 2 precious boys. I have discovered that in my life I have taken for granted the children that God gave me. I'm talking about the little things...they are healthy, they are walking, they are talking (well, Timmy is...Silas still grunts), they have the ability to play, they have the ability to show emotion, they don't fully understand the BIG picture of the state of our world...they are innocent in that realm. They rely on me and Ed for absolutely EVERYTHING in their life. Without us to care for them...where would they be. Just like Christ sustains us...PARENTS SUSTAIN CHILDREN. And how many times do we really stop and appreciate our children. Not just writing it on a blog or facebook note, but getting down to their level, looking them in the eye and expressing to them our love for them or how proud we are of them. How about getting on the floor and playing games with them...spending QUALITY time with them. (And I want to insert here that "Quality Time" is NOT being in the same room with them while you watch a TV show or surf the net) I'm talking about spending time with them that will make an investment in their life. I am on this soapbox because God has REALLY been working on my heart in this area. I have been SO guilty of all of the things I just listed...I have asked God to nudge me when I place a TV show in front of my boys. And believe me...when you ask God for a nudge...HE sometimes gives you a push! I notice that when I pay more attention to my boys, and when I speak to them in love and not in anger...there attitude changes, their behavior changes. It's been amazing to watch.
There is a 2nd reason why I bring up this topic and that is because there are several, maybe even thousands of families that are RIGHT now sitting in NICUs or PICUs or hospitals and even at some homes waiting, longing, yearning for their children to be healthy, to walk, to talk, to show emotion, all those things I listed previously. These parents are wearing WAY different shoes than I am...and I am SO guilty of complaining about the whining or the impatience of my children or the behaviors they are exhibiting...but you know what...if our children are healthy...there shouldn't be a DAY that goes by that you are not loving on your kids every moment you get. I have been praying for several of these families lately, and I want to take the time to share with you my blogging friends about these families that have impacted my walk with Christ in a way they don't even know.
Angie Smith found out at her 20 week ultrasound in January of 2008 that her baby girl had several health issues that were lethal. The doctors told her because of her conditions, she probably wouldn't live outside the womb. She ended up giving birth to Audrey Caroline Smith on April 7, 2008. She only lived for 2 hours and 15 minutes outside of her womb. She is now in Heaven with Jesus. I challenge you to read Audrey's story from the beginning. (There is a button on the right hand side that says, "Welcome") I will forewarn you...you will cry, sob and sob some more. But Audrey's Story will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. And when it does, start covering this family in prayer.
Kayleigh Anne Freeman is a beautiful baby girl who was born weighing at 1 pound. She has went through operations where she broke the record for being the tiniest baby to live through it...she has almost died 2 or 3 times, but God is doing MIRACULOUS things in this baby's life. Please start from the beginning and fall in love with Kayleigh like I have, and start praying for her and her family everyday.
Through Angie Smith's blog, I came upon MckMama's blog when she was pregnant with Baby Stellan. Baby Stellan had heart issues in the womb and the doctors told MckMama and Prince Charming that there baby would not live outside the womb. Well, when Baby Stellan was born FULL TERM, the doctors could find NOTHING wrong with his heart. God had HEALED this baby boy's heart defect. Through this family, my faith in God was strengthened to be able to truly believe that prayer is a powerful instrument that we as believers have. MckMama has MSC (many small children) and she is an absolute BLAST to read about. Check out this miracle...it will amaze you.
There are a couple of more families that I follow on a daily basis that God has done AMAZING things in their life, but this blog would be 3 times as long, so I will leave you with one blog that has made me HUG and LOVE and KISS my boys EVERYDAY. And partly the reason I wrote this blog to begin with...
Meet Cora Paige.
Cora Paige McClenehan was 10 months old when her parents took her in for a doctor visit because she was suffering from her 3rd ear infection. The doctor wanted to do some tests because her stomach seemed tight. When the doctor returned to the room, he had tears in his eyes...based on the test results, it looked like Cora had cancer.
Cancer...can you imagine what they went through as they allowed these words to soak in...their 10mth old baby girl had CANCER. That was on January 22, 2009...she did have cancer and immediately had surgery to remove the tumor near her kidneys. However, on Sunday, February 8, 2009, Cora Paige was healed of her cancer when she went to be with the Lord.
I found out about Cora through another blogger friend about the same time I was going through my miscarriage. I was mourning the loss of my baby that I had never held in my arms, yet my arms felt so empty. Yet, these parents held their baby for 10 months in their arms, and now there arms were empty. It helped me accept my miscarriage as a part of God's plan for my life. HE could have easily chosen ME to carry the grief that the Macs are carrying, but HE chose for me to not hold my baby. I have felt more carried by Jesus these past 4 weeks than I have in a long time. And you know what...HE still hasn't put me down. I am still in HIS arms.
1 comment:
Isn't it an amazing feeling to know that He carries us through our hardest times and completely sustains us during seasons of grief?
I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage...I know that was heartbreaking!
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