In the Arms of the Angel

Thank you, Kristi, for making this video from the pictures on our blog. I didn't realize I had so many different ones already posted.

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Hope

Jeremiah 29:11-14a
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord.

The bold words of this passage are the part most people are familiar with. As a matter of fact, these words were the only part I remember memorizing or hearing anyone quote. My dorm floor at college even put these words on the back of one of our t-shirts one year. I wore it until it virtually fell apart. Every now and then I read the words on the back.

This verse has come to my mind a lot recently. What my family has been through the last ten years, and even more so the last couple of months, has felt like harm. We can physically feel the pain and longing for something better. We have felt feelings that don't even stand on the scale of prosperity.

Then today I read the couple of verses following this passage. Jeremiah 12-14a says, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord.

I don't know what my future on earth holds. But, He has given me a reason to hope for my future. He has my daughter.

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Running beauties

The wonderfully romantic pose I wanted to create - ended up looking like this:


If only I had her grace.

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Familymoon - Beach Love

We spent a week of our "familymoon" at a hotel on the "Gulf side" beach. I was working on a sandcastle our last beach day when Monica came to me and said, "Look what I made, Mom!"



I expected to see that she had finished a nice mold and looked up. "Where is it?" I asked, looking around for the molded sand she'd created. "No, you have to come over here." She said. This is what she made.



I told her I wanted to take a picture of her "creation," her declaration of love towards her sister. She said, "Wait! I want people to know I wrote it."



But, I couldn't fit it all in one frame.



God knew I wanted to write about Megan in the sand but was too scared to ruin the wonderful time everyone was having at the beach. I gave Monica the biggest hug I could right at that very second. She wrote it for me.

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A Poem

Heaven's Very Special Child

A meeting was held quite far from earth,
"It's time again for another birth"
Said the Angels to the Lord above.
"This special child will need much love.

Her progress may be very slow,
Accomplishments she may not show.
And she'll require extra care
From the folks she meets down there.

She may not run or laugh or play,
Her thoughts may seem quite far away.
In many ways she won't adapt
And she'll be known as handicapped.

So let's be careful where she's sent,
We want her life to be content.
Please Lord find the parents who
Will do a special job for You.

They will not realize right away
The leading role they're asked to play.
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.

And soon they'll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge so meek and mild
Is Heaven's Very Special Child."

--author not known

Thank you Denise for giving me this poem.
I hope it is a blessing to others who read it also.

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Nightly Prayers

Every night I pray with my girls before bedtime. I sit by their bed, rub their foreheads with my hands, tell them I love them, and say our prayers.

Every night I would pray the exact same words for Megan.

"Thank you, Jesus, for my Megan.
Give her a good night's sleep and protect her tonight.
Help her to not be afraid
And to always know that You are with her.
In Your Name, Amen."

I was always afraid that Megan would need something and not be able to tell me about it or that she would be afraid and I wouldn't know it.

Monica's prayer was:

"Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Let angels watch me through the night.
Until I wake with morning light."
(And then she could add anything else on her mind too)

Last night Monica and I were praying and Megan's prayer came to my head as it has almost every night since she's been gone. Monica and I prayed:

"Thank you, Jesus, for today.
Give us a good night's sleep and protect us tonight.
Help us to not be afraid
And to always know that You are with us.
And give Meggie a kiss for us too.
In Your Name, Amen."

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Jesus, I heard you had a big house!

I grew up in a family of singers - although I don't personally sing. I remember my sisters singing with my Dad in church as children. One of the songs my older sister sang for many years was "Jesus, I heard you had a big house" written by the Gaithers.

Our family always enjoyed the message of this song and thought it was good for kids to know that Jesus had a place He was preparing for them also. We had no idea way back then how much this song would mean to us now. It was one of the first songs I thought of when Megan was diagnosed with her terminal illness. I also played this song to Megan many times this September to help prepare her for her Great Transition. My dad made me a slide show with pictures of Megan using a professional recording of this song.



Here are the words to this wonderful song:

Jesus, I heard you had a big house,
Where I could have a room of my own.
And Jesus, I heard you had a big yard,
Big enough to let a kid roam.

I heard you had clothes in your closet,
Just the right size that I wear,
And Jesus, I heard if I give you my heart,
then You would let me go there.

Jesus, I heard about meal time,
when all your children come to eat,
I heard you had a great big table
Where every kid can have his own seat.

Jesus, they said there will be plenty
of good things in heaven to share,
And Jesus, I'd just like to tell you
I sure would love to go there.

Jesus, I heard in your big house
there's plenty of love to go around.
I heard there's always singing and laughter
to fill the place with happy sounds.

And I've been thinking that a friend
who would give me all that he's got
Before I even have met Him
Well, He sure must love me a lot.

And Jesus, I'd just like to tell you,
I sure do love you a lot!

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