Monday, June 16, 2014
This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
It is so true that God places people in our lives for His beautiful purpose. I believe I am living proof that He uses all of us no matter how imperfect we are. He uses our voices and experiences to speak to and comfort others. If we look; it is all around us. From my last writing it has been 9 months, and he continues to nudge. Today I am writing because I love when I get to be the voice of Jesus.and when scripture comes to life. When I got a message a few weeks ago from a friend in Houston I realized that God would use Emily to impact her life and comfort her too. When you get to share with someone you know has been there too there is a certain sacred intimacy about it. A God orchestrated encounter in which empathy is instant.
"He confronts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those in any kind of affliction through the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:4
Many know the details of the Emily and our journey through and from time to time they reach out to me to help their friends. I have had two opportunities where God has placed me in a personal friends life as they have gone through a similar trial as Emily to let them know they are not alone. When I get to share in that way it is special to me. It brings back many emotions and even though it was close to 5 years ago it is like it was yesterday. I typically have to pray to make sure i am sending them the words God needs them to hear and then i just let Him use me. The loss of a child is not anything you can explain until you can put those shoes on and walk around for a little while. Even though my story is one of complete restoration it still breaks my heart, a pain deep in my heart for those moms when they call or write me. Even writing today tears run down my face because I know that pain and anxiety that comes from the inside of a mother when the doctor says "Your Baby is sick, and incompatible with life" You hear all of these words and they muddle together and at some point your mind just shuts down without comprehension. I know how comforting it was to me to listen to those who understood.
These phone calls also stir a bit of Joy and Blessing in me, because i also get to remember Emily and how she changed my life and so many of those around me. We joke she was 1 pound and 19 oz of dynamite. She completely blew everything up that I knew and made me rely on the only One I should, God. I still can't believe He choose me to carry Emily, and the fact that He comforts others through her inspires me.
When i got the message that my friend had just had a stillborn a complete rush came over my whole body. Ask said was"I know you lost a child and how did you get through. This is so hard." I ask myself where do i start, here is someone in pain and needs comforting and needs Jesus' arms wrapped tightly around her. I prayed "God with us, God be WITH Us like you were with me over and over again. I then shared Emily's story and all the ways we remember her. I also got to share about how making it real and keeping her memory alive has healed me and pointers on what she could expect from her family and the doctors. The things you have to prepare yourself for. It also prompted me "Again" to write so that others could be blessed by my sweet angel. Providing comfort to her provided me peace and let me know a little more about why Emily had to go so i that i would know the pain enough to comfort those in need. This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
Today is the day, Natalie from 11C
God's details are so perfect. Be Still and Listen. Today is the day when I tell our story the one Jesus so tenderly wrote for me. I have been urged many times over the years since Emily's death to tell or write her story to the world. It was a struggle not because i did not want to share it but because i do not want the glory for it.
Scared to start,and while reading "Draw the Cicle" I started circling Emilys story in prayer but on Oct 2, 2013 i decided to pray a "Hoodie Prayer." I quietly prayed while walking up a busy Chicago Street "God what are you wanting me to do with Emily's story am i supposed to write it? I am willing, I am ready just let me know. I need to know this is not my wants, but Yours." I remeber thinking after the prayer as a looked at all the faces on the busy sidewalk. I don't even know people in the writing circle, or wouldnt even know where to start. I wondered how i would even start if God sent me a sign, but knew He'd figure it out. I went on about the day and night and didnt think much else about it.
I was in Chicago on business and it was an ordinary trip filled with meetings and dinner. The next day appeared normal, breakfast with an old friend and then off to the airport. I was flying with a co-worker and she and i were late to the airport. We scurried through the airport to make it to the flight. Our first leg was uneventful to Kansas City but was our leg to Dallas when things got crazy. We were flying Southwest so there were no assigned seats. We were in the front so fully expected we would have a taker of our Aisle seat early in the boarding process, but no. Our seat was not taken in 11C until the last passenger got on board and Natalie sat next to me.
I know you are wondering why i am telling you all of this so here you go. I believe it is important that we know how much our Heavenly Father orchestrates the things in our life, even the little ones and it is only until we take a step back to see the forrest for the trees that we see his tender hand in it. You see, Natalie, is a professor and it turns out she teaches writing and how to get started. This was my sign. The prayer i had prayed just two days before when i closed my talk with God i said, to him. "Write Emily's Story?, i Do not even know any one in this business. I am not a writer? i don't even write my emails in complete sentences.
Just like that i was sitting next to a lady who teaches you authors how to get started. She encouraged me just to start. "Even if you just do it for 15 minutes a day."
So, today is the day.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Challenge #5 Beautiful Ugly
Beautiful Ugly!
Challenge #5
Please enjoy the images below as this weeks challenge from Clickin'Moms. Cheers everyone.
Tamber Bay tasting room cork discard bin. Helena, CA. Beautiful trash.
LMR withering rose in the Napa sun. Helena, CA. Dying beautifully.....
Schramsburg's murky tadpole pond. The center of the photo has a tadpole turning to a toad staring back at me... SPOOKY!.....
Schramsburg's cobwebs over fermenting champagne.....
Schramsburg's cobwebs mold and bats amongst the delicious champagne.....
Next up the Beautiful Ugly Images By Zelena Rose
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Close up Portrait for Clickin Moms. New to this so how close is too close.... up next are the fabulous images from Sandy!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Facebook Pictures Looking Smushed? Blurry?
Facebook made some changes a few weeks ago that included changing the picture size.
If you let Facebook Size your photo it will look Blurry, Pixelated, Smashed, etc.......they used to allow images that were 200 pixels wide and up to 600 pixels high...
The new image is 180 pixels wide and has a max height of 540 pixels, To get your photos crisp again re-size them and sharpen in image in your editing software, rather than letting Facebook’s software shrink it for you.
Thanks for Reading
Emily's Eyes Pin It
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)