It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. A young couple who graduated from the same high school as Eric and I gave birth to a precious baby boy on December 29, just before the new year. He was a few weeks early, and began having cardiac episodes. They moved him to Chapel Hill, where he had to undergo one scheduled open heart surgery, and then another emergency surgery, and was put on a life support machine. After a day or so on the machine, a test showed that the left side of his heart was simply not working right. The doctors had to decide to take him off the life support machine, and on Friday January 27, that precious baby passed away.
His mother teaches elementary school in our county, but we were not in the same circle of friends as his parents, merely acquaintances. But my heart has been so full of compassion for this family, and I have done the only thing I know to do to honor this precious life all week...shed tears.
And I have held my own baby even tighter everyday. I am so blessed and thankful to have her in my life. And even in the same week, another good friend announced her pregnancy, due in July, Addison's caretaker is due at the end of February, and another good friend is due in June. But how can I not be scared or nervous when thinking into our own future of growing our family? Having always in the back of my mind that things do not always go according to plan.
So I will ask you all to add the Shelton family to your prayer or thoughts list. Lift them up, that they may be surrounded by people who will be able to do just what is needed for them in the moment, people who will let them grieve however they need to.
This weekend my mom and I had students in the All-State Chorus clinic, and the 11-12 group sang a piece called Bright Morning Star arranged by Fred Squarito. This video is not the NC group, but this recording is conducted by the same clinician we had this weekend, Dr. Karen Kennedy of U of Miami. This song just keeps playing in my mind as I think about and pray for this family, especially the last stanza.
Here is the text:
"Bright morning star arising,
bright morning star arising,
bright morning star arising,
Day is a-breakin' in my soul.
Oh where are our dear mothers?
Oh where are our dear mothers?
They are sowing seeds of gladness,
Day is a-breakin' in my soul.
Oh where are our dear fathers?
Oh where are our dear fathers?
They have gone before us,
Day is a-breakin' in my soul.
Oh how can I be lonely?
My friends are all around me.
Their loving arms surround me.
Day is a-breakin' in my soul."
Praying that there is strength and peace in the road ahead for the Shelton family.
Saying big prayers for them, love...that is just truly heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds trite to say but our lives are not without pain. My faith has been shattered with pain and then rebuilt to God's glory. When reading your posting I was reminded of a Bible study on the book of Daniel. Beth Moore says we can be delivered from the fire - where faith is built, delivered through the fire where faith is refined and delivered by the fire where our faith is perfected.
ReplyDeleteI pray your friends are believers and can find comfort in our Father's grace, who better to understand the lose of a child. For He gave His only Son for us.