On Saturday, Mike and I went down to McKinney, Texas to celebrate Makenna Johnson's life with her family. We were excited to go, to see our friends, to celebrate this sweet life. Everything looked darling thanks to Miss Allie Lees, who was Makenna's in-home respite worker for several years. Blue was the main color because of the blue in Makenna's eyes - they were a stunning color of blue. Giraffes were given to inspire hope and light - things that Makenna embodied even though she never spoke (giraffes are her favorite). Banana Pudding was served because that was Kenna's favorite food (Mike had several helpings of that yummy goodness).
The service was so special. We had a full-on worship service, and several times I truly forgot that we were at a funeral. To most people, funerals are sad and somber. You usually don't see family and friends raising their hands in worship to their Faithful God, worshiping through the pain. But yesterday, I witnessed just that and I was humbled to be able to participate.
Mike and I sat with our friends, Amy and Scott Haas (and baby Hartley). Amy and I founded Hope Link because we felt alone and we knew other families with sick children did too. Leading Hope Link means walking through hard things like incredible sickness and death with our friends, and Amy and I have been to several little funerals together. And though the Johnsons aren't technically part of Hope Link (since they live in Texas), they are an inspiration to us and to the Hope Link ministry. More than that, they are family to us - both to the Haas's and McLaughlins'. Personally, being a part of Makenna's Life Celebration yesterday reminded me of the beautiful ministry that He has so graciously bestowed upon us.
It's funny and strange and complicated . . . Amy and I sat in that beautiful place admiring all of the decorations. I won't speak for Amy, but I definitely kept thinking, "Oh, that is such a cute idea! I wish we had thought of that!" and "Oh, that table looks so cute - what a great way to honor Makenna!". I was even admiring Kenna's beautiful casket. It was gorgeous and I kept wishing we had been able to purchase one like that for Ellie Kate. I told you, it sounds weird. Funerals are almost like weddings to us as special-needs moms, and we want to make them beautiful reflections of our daughters. .
After the service, we were able to go to the burial with the Johnson family. What an intimate and precious time. We were humbled to be asked to join in such a deep, heart-wrenching, precious occasion with every type of emotion bubbling over. We all ended up at the Johnsons house after it was all said and done, and opened some beverages and ate some food. We talked and laughed. We sat and played in Makenna's room with Marlee and Micah (Makenna's brother and sister). Mike and I admired the equipment the great state of Texas had provided for Makenna. It was amazing! We touched Makenna's chairs and her bed. It was just so sweet. And I think we all felt this incredibly intimate bond knowing that somewhere, in Heaven, our precious Girls were together playing and dancing before Jesus. What an incredibly precious thought.
Our Club - Our Family
And then Marianne (Makenna's momma) did something amazing - she wanted to donate a majority of Makenna's supplies to Lucy and to Hope Link! In the midst of her grief; my goodness - she JUST buried her daughter! Here she was giving to us and to other families like us, like hers. It was like Christmas, ya'll - really and truly. I opened each box with excitement and squealed when I saw things like bajillions of 60mls syringes and sponge tooth-brushes. What a gift! And it came from Makenna! Even as we were loading the car, we were laughing and joking. It was good for MY heart and I can only guess that it was good for Matt and Marianne on a very hard day. 
We love each other and we love to laugh!
Here's the most important part!!! I didn't want to just tell you about our special day yesterday - I wanted to make sure you walk away from this post with this true fact: GOD IS GOOD. That is what was talked about during Makenna's service yesterday. God is faithful. He causes ALL THINGS to work together for our good - even sickness, even death, even separation from our loved ones for a while. He uses it all. And we can trust that.
What makes people want to worship the Lord Jesus at a funeral? What makes a family, including a 12-year-old boy, raise their hands in worship to a God who has allowed their daughter to live a very hard life here on earth? A God who allowed their daughter to take her last breath in their home, before her tenth birthday? What makes them, what makes US, want to continue worshiping and trusting the Lord Jesus, is because we KNOW that what He says is true. We KNOW He is who He says He is - He is the Blessed Controller of All Things. We KNOW that His love for us never fails, that He reaches us to the "uttermost" and for "always". We KNOW that we have the promise of eternal life with Jesus in Heaven. And, we KNOW He causes ALL THINGS to work together for our good, for those who love Christ.
No matter what you are dealing with, even if you are walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, even if you just lost your job, are struggling with a relationship, even if you just buried your daughter . . . You can know in your heart that GOD IS GOOD.
Thank you, Father for Makenna's life. Thank you that she is STILL ALIVE and that those of us who have accepted you as Lord and Savior will see her again one day! Thank you that we can trust you, Lord. You ARE who you say you are, Father God. Be with the Johnsons and meet their every need in intimate ways. Hold them closely - so closely that they can feel it, Lord. We trust you with our friends and with their hearts. Let your peace flow freely, God.
Ryan
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