Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Is He enough?

I have held onto a business card that is covered with scriptures that I find comfort in for the longest time. First, it was in my pocket. Then it migrated to my purse. It took up residence next to my reading corner on the table. Lastly, until it landed in my hand again, it was on my scrapbooking table. I have pondered writing about these and all they mean to me for so long. And the only thing I wrote on the card (other than the verse addresses) is the words, "Is He enough?"

The day I started this card was a bad day. Today, I had a bad day. Just very off and moody. The girls were great. Alie even took 2 naps and Emily let me get some CM work done. But I am bitter right now and that bitterness was really seeping in to my mood. Perhaps because yesterday was the 24th. Perhaps because Alie's birthday is coming up and I will be celebrating this birthday in a similar way that we celebrated Natalie's 1st birthday. Perhaps it is because we just celebrated Natalie's birthday one week ago. Maybe it was all of these things that puut me into the muddy funk that I don't like.

Tonight I was going to post about the birthday celebration of my sweet girl who should be three now. I was going to post this amazing picture (that alot of you have seen on my facebook pictures) and tell the story behind it. But I am going to change gears.

I read a few other blogs. I have backed off from reading as many as I used to. I found that if I read my Bible, I was more uplifted. But there are a few that I still follow. Tonight, as I was reading one, I read of another family who has suffered a loss greater than ours. I do not know the story but they lost 2 year old boy/girl twins in a drowning accident. My heart led me to read the last entry on their blog (which has not been updated since), post a comment, and pray hard! But my heart also led me back to my card with scripture on it. I have found great comfort in these and I hope and pray that they find my blog and can find some peace within God's Word. It is the only place I have really found peace since losing Natalie. So, this evening, I give you my list. And my wish is that they touch you as they have touched me.

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
~Galatians 6:1-5, MSG

When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, "I promise that I'll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!" Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they'll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.
We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.
~Hebrews 6:18-20, MSG

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ~Hebrews 11:1, NIV

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field.There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look.He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures.But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him. ~Isaiah 53:2-6, MSG

All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God! Thank him to his face! He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter. ~ Psalm 30:4-5, MSG

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." ~Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV

"I, I'm the One comforting you. What are you afraid of—or who?Some man or woman who'll soon be dead? Some poor wretch destined for dust?You've forgotten me, God, who made you, who unfurled the skies, who founded the earth.And here you are, quaking like an aspen before the tantrums of a tyrant who thinks he can kick down the world.But what will come of the tantrums? The victims will be released before you know it.They're not going to die. They're not even going to go hungry.For I am God, your very own God, who stirs up the sea and whips up the waves, named God-of-the-Angel-Armies.I teach you how to talk, word by word, and personally watch over you,Even while I'm unfurling the skies, setting earth on solid foundations, and greeting Zion: 'Welcome, my people!'" ~Isaiah 51:16, MSG

And of course, there is the one that I go to so often that I can recite it word for word....
Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later." ~John 13:7

Perhaps, if you meet someone who has experienced a loss so great, and you are comfortable with it, feel free to share with them our blog and our story. Hopefully our loss can help someone else.

Good night all,
Love,
Hillary, Bryan, Emily, Allison, and especially our angel baby Natalie

3 comments:

Mark's Mommy said...

Hillary,

Thank you for the uplifting scripture in your post.

I have taken a break from updating my blog for quite a while. I am relieved to have gotten through the anniversary of Mark's death. I didn't get through it with any grace or poise whatsoever, but I did get through it.

Would you please send me the link to the blog that you mentioned regarding the twins? I am like you in that sometimes I just have to back off from reading the blogs. However, for the most part, they are the only links that I have that make me feel like I am not the only one in the world going through such pain.

Since I don't know anyone personally who has lost a child, especially in such a sudden accident, the blogs that I read that share such similarities give me a reason not to go insane by feeling sorry for myself. I can instead pray for you and all of the other families are going through much of the same thing.

My next post is going to be the links to the blogs that I read...I plan on putting your link on there if that is okay with you.

Praying for you,
Angie (Mark's mommy)

 The Morris Family said...

He is enough....

our 3 yr. Joel with the Lord 1//23/07

the scriptures have been my only stay! I am so thankful you are in the Word!!

Your family is beautiful...

I have read Marks mom's blog, but I can not comment on it due to the particular way she has it, do you have her e-mail or ask her if it would be ok....like she said on your comment, grieving moms "know" each other in a way like no other moms...

Cindy

Elizabeth said...

I just had to go look at your Facebook photos after reading your post. And I think I know which photo you wanted to post. I couldn't make a comment there about it, but I can here. So I will tell you how very much I LOVE THAT PHOTO. This is kind of an odd request, but would you email it to me? I have a friend who was pregnant with quads and lost all four - even the last who was born and lived only a short while. She was trying to get a tattoo like yours, but the place we went to didn't do it quite right. So I'd love for her to see yours.

On another note, your scripture has spoken to me. One I love a lot lately is Phil. 4:6-7, especially this part: "Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down." (The Message)

I pray for you often!