The true question which fills my heart and mind is this:
How many more kisses will I get to give
before Lucy takes her last breath on earth?
How long do I have to study her face, her hands,
those most perfect lips and movie-star eyelashes?
When will be my last time to see and kiss on those
cute little earlobes and dimpled hands!
I don't have enough time left on earth
to give My Lucy Belle ALL of the millions of
kisses I truly long to give her in this lifetime.
"Time" is a true thief; it steals the most precious of things, and I know you can relate.
I find comfort in this: God's infallible Word, offers Eternal Life awaiting ALL children, all of those with profound disabilities AND all of those who've surrendered their life to Christ, asking Him to the be the King and Lord of their life!
Even in knowing Lucy will soon meet Jesus and come face to face again with Ellie Kate (can you even begin to imagine what that will be like?!), My human, broken and motherly-heart still wonders and wails in so many ways. Even as a Believer who knows where I will spend eternity, who KNOWS where my Daughters will spend eternity and that they will be completed, perfect, whole, without any pain, without any sickness, without any fear or tears or hunger or confusion . . . even still my heart cries out . . .
Would you give me MORE and MORE and MORE times with Lucy
and special opportunities to hold her, love on her and sing to her,
telling her stories about Heaven?
Will you go before us and provide in supernatural ways?
Will you comfort Lucy even now, preparing her heart, body and mind - her Most Precious Spirit for what YOU have in store, Lord?
We see the signs and know them too well. We told Lucy we would fight for her life as long as her body told us to keep fighting but now, just as Ellie Kate's body did, Lucy's is showing us how tired it is and how incapable it is of working correctly. Hardly any wet diapers.
No bowel movements, even with Senna (laxative given twice daily) plus daily enemas). Almost constant state of sleep. Twitching and seizing and muscles moving in a bizare fashion. Her food and medicine doesn't go through her belly well and isn't absorbed. Still, she screams and cries, even with pain medication. Still, she screams when she even sees me bringing a syringe of formula over to her because she's anticipating the hurt.
How much longer, Oh Lord will the suffering endure?
Will you take it out of our hands?
Will you take it out of our hands?
Truly, My HOPE is in YOU, Lord from where my Help comes from!
You reign in Heaven and on Earth and I am so unworthy of your goodness, your mercy, your provision,
and your gentle hand with Lucy and with the other children.
Please continue your mercy, Most Holy God. Please continue to pour yourself out to us in this busy time, this confusing time,
this space in time which is hard to understand -
a space in time which I thought would be so far away, God.
I don't know how it can be, but I CHOOSE to trust you.
I CHOOSE to take your cup and drink it.
Not MY Will but YOURS be done!
You reign in Heaven and on Earth and I am so unworthy of your goodness, your mercy, your provision,
and your gentle hand with Lucy and with the other children.
Please continue your mercy, Most Holy God. Please continue to pour yourself out to us in this busy time, this confusing time,
this space in time which is hard to understand -
a space in time which I thought would be so far away, God.
I don't know how it can be, but I CHOOSE to trust you.
I CHOOSE to take your cup and drink it.
Not MY Will but YOURS be done!
Oh, how I want to kiss Lucy's sweet, tiny feet (which are almost as big as Bowen's)! I want to kiss the nape of her neck a million times over, to get a little kiss and breathe in her heavenly scent. I want to kiss every dimple in her hand and then do it again a thousand times over!
Those perched lips - perfectly shaped and perfectly pink when all is well - I want to kiss them a trillion time over again and put Lucy's "make-up" on her again and again until the dryness is gone.
This life is full of things we just don't understand and sometimes we will never understand what happens to us, through us, because of us. Tonight I find solace in knowing there is NOTHING God does not allow - there is nothing that can be done without Him knowing and approving, just as we've learned from Job.
And
Tonight, I also find solace in His Word -
the ONLY true and trustworthy thing in this life . . .
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 This plan of mine is not what you would work out , neither are my thoughts the same as yours! 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours.
Isaiah 54:10-14
10 For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won't walk away from you, my covenant commitment of peace won't fall apart." The God who has compassion on you says so.
11 "Afflicted city, storm-battered, unpitied: I'm about to rebuild you with stones of turquoise, Lay your foundations with sapphires,
12construct your towers with rubies, Your gates with jewels, and all your walls with precious stones .
13 All your children will have God for their teacher - what a mentor for your children!
14 You'll be built solid, grounded in righteousness , far from any trouble - nothing to fear! far from terror - it won't even come close!
Care Calendar: practical ways to assist our family
Helping Hands account: financial support