Life is Precious
I’m sitting here during nap time and I should be working but I can’t put my sleeping baby down. I don’t want to put her down right now.
You see, my sister is in the hospital at 29 weeks pregnant, with placenta previa, awaiting the birth of their fifth child any day now. She’s had to leave her other children at home (under the care of my amazing aunt and cousin) so the doctors can stop the bleeding she’s been having and try to keep this little one safe inside for a little while longer.
Meanwhile, A friend from MOPS is in a different hospital saying good-bye to her 2 day old little baby boy. He was born with many health complications (some of which they knew prior to his birth) but it doesn’t make this any easier. No mother wants to bury a child.
I think of both these moms and realize again how precious life is. We discard babies in our society under the guise of choice when there really isn’t a choice. All life is precious and given by God. God gives life – no matter how brief – and He is the only one who can take it away.
I wish there were easier answers. I wish I had better words. I wish we could see the big picture.
Since I don’t and can’t, I have to cling to faith. I have to trust in God’s goodness – even when it doesn’t seem good at the time.
I’m remembering God’s promises in Isaiah 43, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God.”
And I’m going to hold my precious Emma a little bit longer today and thank God for the gift of her life!
Will you join me in praying for all those – known and unknown – who are carrying a baby? And pray for those who are grieving the loss of a child – whether by miscarriage or death too soon?
I too love the times when my daughter is in my arms and I just want to never let her go…;) She’s 2 now and I tell her how she was a baby and I show her how I was holding her…Sometimes she comes to me and says “baby” so I can hold her…:)
Yes! This has never been more true to me than over the past two months as I experienced my first miscarriage. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but I’m grateful for the experience. I can look at my five children here on earth and be more grateful. All life truly precious. No matter how big, how small, or how long they were here on earth, all life is valuable. Our God is good and our time here is short!
Oh, Janeen. My heart aches for you. Even when we don’t understand the why’s, I am so glad we have the peace that only our God gives. You are in my thoughts and prayers!
Life is so precious indeed! I will be praying with you for all those suffering, especially with the new precious life. Our Lord is indeed faithful and always gives us peace in the storms. I have experienced so many things in life that made me question the “why’s” of what was happening, but God has given me a peace to surpass all understanding. I am so thankful for a faith that has been strengthened by many trials, so that I have surrendered to His will. I will be praying for your sister, may God give her daily strength right now and all Mother’s saying goodbye too soon. May you each find comfort in His peace today and hold all that’s dear to you closer!
Many blessings Kristen!
Thank you, Cristina. God’s peace is truly a peace that could only come from him. I give thanks for that as well!
I had this with our 5th also. Started at 27 week. We made it till he was 7 week early. My best advise is tell her to wait as long as they safely can. Everyday this baby is in mom increases the child survival rate incredialby. I had no family close, so friends took turns watching the 4 others and my husband would drive them over a hour and a half one way to visit me almost every other day when he could. I spent my birthday, my next oldest sons birthday, Easter, and our Anniversary away from them, but our 5th came home just 17 days after he was born. He is still small (he is now 6) but has no medical problems.
When I got to the hospital after my first bleed, the Dr said by the amount of blood I lost just on the way to the hospital that I should have been dead. The nurse said he would have taken the baby right then if he had not been called to another emergancy dilivery just minutes before I arrived. That gave the nurses time to stabillize me. I was given 7 units of blood that day, and many more over the rest of the pregnancy. My Dr. was great. Her theory was if they can keep blood flowing in me as fast as it was going out, we would keep going. Unfortunitly I went into labor and they could not stop it, so we had to take him earlier than we wanted.
I’m so thankful you and your little one were okay – with no lasting medical problems! My sister is still hanging in there, and now at 30 weeks. We just keep praying for one more day…and then the next…and trust God for the delivery. Thanks for sharing your story, Teresa!
Well said.
Lord have mercy on your servants.