Happy Birthday Heather Rose!

Today we are celebrating Heather Rose and her 5th Birthday. I wanted to write a little a post about it because there is something about all of our children's birthdays that is a reminder of the Lord's goodness and kindness through the years. It is as if their very lives represent milestones or markers through seasons which symbolize great things God has done.

All of our children were born at the most "inconvenient" times! Either we did not feel prepared monetarily or we were going through some very trying times financially. We even had one child born in the midst of marital turmoil where we doubted things would work out in our relationship. Unknowingly, we named this baby Thomas. I have to giggle a little when I think of how God has pulled us through many storms and the names of our kids actually tell the story! I could write a book about them all.

Anyway, Heather is five today. Her older sister Sara had her prayer answered for baby sister 4 years and 3 little brothers later!Sara was the only girl of 6 brothers at the time. And she was right in the middle. Now I understand why she is such a strong young lady! I will never forget sitting outside in the grass when Joshua our youngest then was still a baby. Sara was 6. She looked at Joshua and asked in her "whiney" little voice, "Joshua, why couldn't you have been a girl? Just why this time you couldn't you have just been a girl?" Little Josh had no idea what his big sister was saying. He just sat in the grass pulling green blades up to his little drool moistened lips.

Less than a year later, Heather Rose was born. It was a scary time. Halfway through the pregnancy the doctors found a blockage in her intestine. I was going every week to two weeks to have it checked out via ultrasound. The doctors wanted to watch to see if the mass would dissolve. Every time I went for the sonogram, the blockage was unchanged. Every blood test under the sun was taken. We were even told that she may have to be delivered around 26 weeks. It felt like I was listening to this long list of all the things that could be wrong with her but yet there were no definite answers.All the doctors kept saying, "We'll just have to wait and see."

In looking back I remember days that were more difficult than others. Sonogram days were the most trying as I would come home from the specialist's office with the same disheartening report, "The blockage is still there. It has not changed." I would come home in tears. However, I recall little messages that kept coming to me that she was going to be okay. One afternoon, I had arrived home from the doctor's appointment in tears. The kids and I ate lunch and we continued with our daily routine. A little later, there was a knock on the door. It was the UPS delivery man. He had delivered at least 6 boxes of baby clothes ranging from sizes newborn to 12 months!

The kids and I had a blast as we sorted through all the darling little girl outfits and shoes. And most of it was actually name brand clothes! Of course big sister Sara had the best time admiring the clothes for her soon to arrive baby sister! There was another time I had come home from another disappointing doctor's visit. Again the UPS deliverer had dropped off another 7 or 8 boxes of little girl clothing ranging from sizes 18 months to 4 toddler. The clothes were coming from some old friends who live in Indiana. They had kindly offered to give us the clothing. However, they always arrived on the most difficult days.It seemed like someone was setting up a childhood wardrobe for a little girl who was not yet born! Hmmmmm, could Someone be trying to tell me something?

During the pregnancy I even had several dreams about a little girl with a big smile. And I even had a dream of a young woman in her 20's with that same big smile. Needless to say, I could not help but look up and say, "God, you gotta be trying to tell us something here!" There are many other similar events that's happened all through the nine months of pregnancy of a God who speaks and comforts in times of fear and the unknown. By the time of Heather's arrival, I was assured that no matter the outcome, that God was in control.

Heather Rose was born healthy, pink,and whole. There was no disease or abnormality. She is a strong healthy little girl with the same smile I saw in my dreams. Now how can anyone say there is no God? How can we think that the Creator of this universe does not care and is not involved in every detail of our lives? Today, we celebrate little Heather and all the precious hugs and kisses she offers each day.But most of all, we celebrate a God who is real, powerful and loving! I can hardly write without mentioning Him. He is genuine and He loves to show up in times of trouble.

We have experienced our share loss in our lives, so we have not always had happy endings. However, I can say with confidence that when I look to the hills, there is a Helper and He is God. When we call upon Him, he comes running to shelter us in the storms of life. The message was in a little girl's wardrobe!

I LOOK UP TO THE MOUNTAINS.
DOES MY STRENGTH COME FROM THE MOUNTAINS?
NO, MY STRENGTH COMES FROM GOD,
WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH AND MOUNTAINS.

HE WON'T LET YOU STUMBLE,
YOUR GUARDIAN GOD WON'T FALL ASLEEP.
NOT ON YOUR LIFE!
ISRAEL'S GUARDIAN WILL NEVER DOZE OR SLEEP!

GOD IS YOUR GUARDIAN
RIGHT AT YOUR SIDE TO PROTECT YOU.
SHIELDING YOU FROM SUNSTROKE,
SHELTERING YOU FROM MOON STROKE! (WOW I LOVE THAT!)

GOD GUARDS YOU FROM EVERY EVIL,
HE GUARDS YOUR VERY LIFE.
HE GUARDS YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE
AND WHEN YOU RETURN.
HE GUARDS YOU NOW.
HE GUARDS YOU ALWAYS.

PSALM 121 THE MESSAGE BIBLE