Monday, April 2, 2012

Blessed Be His Name

Jen,

I remember the first time the desire to have children hit me. It was the day my niece, Clara, was born. I remember how sad I was that I couldn't see her right away and I remember the first time I met her when she was a four months old. I totally fell in love! She was the cutest baby in the whole wide world!


A couple of years later my sister, Christine, and I became pregnant at the same time. Her with a boy, Sean, and me with a girl, Catina. It was our dream come true, minus the attached back yards. These kids are so bonded even though they live in New Mexico and we live in Michigan (so much for attached back yards!). Then June came along. Clara loved June right away and is such a lover of little ones. I'm really looking forward to her meeting our Ada.


In between Catina and June there was another little--one conceived in my sister. I remember the day she called to tell me she was pregnant. I was at a friend's 50th birthday party hanging out by a pool and feeling a bit sorry for myself because I really wanted another baby, and it seemed like those around me who were my age were pregnant. Her phone call shocked me out of my pity party and I was so excited to get to know another niece or nephew!

A couple of months went by when my sister, who is normally always sick when she is pregnant, started to feel better. At first I thought maybe it was because her baby was so different than the other two. But Christine knew in her heart something was wrong. I was with my parents when I got the phone call that she had lost the baby. We all just sat there, not knowing what to do. She was so many miles away and it really really sucked that we couldn't be there! We had no words and felt helpless to do anything.

Later that year Christine and her family moved from their home to work at a home for children who were neglected. Christine and her husband, Jonathan became house parents and at one point had 10 children in their home. And to think at times I think I'm overwhelmed! During their stay they fell in love with three little girls. These little girls wormed their way into the hearts of their house parents and their house siblings, Christine and Jonathan's kids, Clara and Sean. When they felt it was time to move on from being house parents it was very hard to leave their little girls. They kept in touch as much as they were allowed, and for a brief time had hope they might even be able to take these girls into their home.

Being away from these three girls is another loss for Christine and Jonathan and it's hard to understand "The Plan" in all of these losses. This reminds me of the lyrics to a popular song, which read:

You give and take away, You give and take away
My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be Your name

Sometimes it's a hard thing to choose, but I pray our hearts will continue to say it!

 
I am praying blessings on this family, that they will know His love despite loss and that those around them who are part of the body of Christ will be given the wisdom of how to love them tangibly. They are a great family who have chosen to live their life for Christ; they have chosen to step out and love those around them and I am asking the Lord to bless them beyond their comprehension.

May those who have suffered a loss be comforted.
Ann
_________

Ann,

My heart breaks for Christine's loss. Miscarriage is devastating in so many ways, including the fact that it's a death that often goes unnoticed or can be easily forgotten. I do pray that women like Christine who've endured this would somehow find peace in their experience.

Her story of loving the girls from the children's home makes me think of the verse that gave me great comfort during my waiting years. It refers to the barren woman, but I believe it applies here. Sometimes we're mothers to children who are not our "own."

Isaiah 54:1-3

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.

“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities."

Yes, God bless this family, and bless all their children.

Jen

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