My Cute Nephew

Remember Samuel? He will be 2 months old already on June 2nd! Isn't he a cutie? Marcia (his mommy, my sister) e-mailed this pix to me today from her cell phone with this text message: "Cant wait for u to hold me!"

I can't wait to hold him! We will be in Tennessee hopefully on Monday night! I think he is officially off of quarantine now... or close. He might actually get to see something other than his house & the doctor's office real soon! =0) Thankfully, he has stayed extremely healthy! Yea! Thanks for remembering them in your prayers. Please pray for us to have a safe trip to & from TN. We plan to be there about 2 weeks.

Love,

Melinda

PS Another pix... Samuel is about 6 weeks here. It was taken May 14th. He's such a little tyke! But he sure is cute! I can't wait to get my hands on him!

Pretty Pictures

Below are some pictures I took yesterday on "our" farm. I know, it's just hay... but isn't there something just so beautiful & peaceful about these pictures? The first two pictures are in the side field, and the last one is in the field behind us. That field has rolling hills (slightly) that lead down to the big pond. I just love the country. (Of course, I have to admit that I love the manicured look of suburbia, too!)

We had the privilege of meeting the man we actually rent from. He came down to meet us & take care of some other business. He and his family are in the states due to his wife's brother's passing away. (Keep them in your prayers... and the brother's extended family & friends too... that they might be drawn to Christ.) The owner of the farm serves as a missionary overseas with his family. It was a blessing to meet him. Whenever we meet people that know any of the family associated with this farm, we hear nothing but accolades about how wonderful they are... real servants for Christ.

Wouldn't that be great to leave that legacy behind? No matter who mentioned your name, others who heard it would be eager to sing your praises? Wow, I think that would be neat. I'm afraid everyone I know or have known wouldn't always be eager to do that.

Most importantly, don't we want our children to do that? What about our children's children? Do we live a life that will leave a LEGACY... a true legacy? One that our great, great, great grandchildren will hear about? Will they know of our passion for Christ? Will they know the sacrifices we were willing to make? Will they know that we sometimes chose what was NOT popular according to our culture to make a stand for our family or for our Lord?

Wow, I don't know where that came from but I needed to hear it. I've been kind of impatient with my kids the last two days. I don't want that to be my legacy. This legacy talk reminds me of a podcast I listened to not so long ago by Voddie Baucham. He's on fire for God & is an advocate for families. I will see if I can post that link here. You might have to search for it at the iTunes store, if the link doesn't work. It is free. The title of the sermon is Multigenerational Promise on Jeremiah 29:11. You can listen to it at his website if you don't have an ipod. Here is the link: http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Podcast/Entries/2008/1/7_Multigenerational_Promise.html
If that doesn't work, go to http://www.voddiebaucham.org/ and click on podcast at the top, then scroll down for the correct sermon. I think you will enjoy it & be challenged!

Well, if you're still here, send up a prayer for Dano's truck. It died yesterday. Hopefully it is not the complete end for it. It will hopefully be something simple... but it could be as bad as the transmission. In the meantime, we're taking him to work & picking him up on days we need the van. So pray for wisdom for us in getting it fixed.
**Shortly after posting this while I was making dinner, Dano called! He said his truck was fixed! It cost $55 for the part (a shifting cable), and he was able to do the labor! So he is DRIVING home after work! Yea! Thank you, Lord for answering this prayer request before anyone knew about it!**

Also, just as a marker... it was 4 weeks ago today that I delivered Seth. It is hard to believe it was that long ago. Sometimes it DOES seem like forever ago, but other times it seems like I was pregnant yesterday. I'm doing okay today. God's strength is made perfect in my weakness.

Well, I need to get dinner made early. The kids & I are going to eat, then we're picking up Dano from JAARS, then we're going straight to church. Tonight is their AWANA Awards.

Have a blessed day!

Love,
Melinda =0)

Normal is Just a Setting on Your Dryer!

It has been a while since I've posted anything on the blog. The main reason, I guess, is because I haven't wanted Seth's prints to move further down the page. Other reasons are I've just had a hard time last week. It was definitely my hardest week thus far after Seth's death. I keep wanting to say after "losing" Seth. His death was a loss in our family... but his brief life was a gain. Also, I read something that changed my way of thinking. I have not "lost" Seth. I KNOW exactly where he is. He is safe & secure in Heaven. I am so thankful for this TRUTH! God made us eternal beings. If we are not here on Earth, then we are in eternity. Thankfully, Seth is on the Heaven side of eternity!

A friend whose first baby is also in Heaven at the age of 20 weeks introduced me to a song "Glory Baby" by the husband & wife Christian group Watermark. They wrote this song after a miscarriage, I believe. One of the phrases in the song that I think about is "you'll just have Heaven before we do." In the grand scheme of eternity, Seth will only beat us to Heaven by a little bit. I have to keep that in mind.

I know many, if not everyone, is experiencing some sort of grief. I think of those in China who have lost so many & their families are so small due to government restrictions. I think of those in Myanmar who are so oppressed & devastated at this time. My heart breaks for these people, not only because of their losses but because most of them do not have Christ. They don't even have access to a Bible! I can't even imagine experiencing the death of Seth without the power of God's Word in my life. Father, please allow these people to have a Bible of their own in their heart language. May the Holy Spirit speak to them through your Word so they might understand & believe!

I think of you, our friends and family, who have lost loved ones... a spouse, a parent, a child or those of you who are experiencing major sickness. Grief is different for everyone. Every situation is unique. However the pain is very similar. I am thankful that God understands our pain. He knows we will mourn. The scriptures say there is a time for mourning and blessed are those who mourn, so I know this is "normal." It is hard to remember that.

Speaking of "normal," a long time ago I read a book Normal is Just a Setting on Your Dryer by Patsy Clairmont. I don't remember the specifics of this book. Basically, I remember that it was a bunch of short humorous stories (from a Christian perspective). But the title of the book has always stuck with me, but not until lately has this phrase REALLY sunk in.

I keep waiting for life to be NORMAL again. I must honestly say I've been waiting for this since Olivia was born. (Okay, you can stop laughing.) Once you have kids, I guess life is pretty much never "normal" again. But maybe it was the death of Seth that made this reality sink in. I kept asking God, myself, & others when "normal" would return. I kept striving for normal. (You know I have high expectations for myself that I never really meet.) Finally, I guess God shouted that title to me in one of my asking times... when will life be normal again, when will I feel normal, when will our schedule be normal? So, now when I start asking one of these questions immediately I think that normal is just a setting on my dryer. =0) Amazingly, this helps!

I need to LIVE one day at a time, taking one step at a time. Sometimes I have to stop and weep... thank you for those who weep with me. Thank you for wanting to hear about my Seth. Thank you for asking. Thank you for not forgetting that our hearts are broken. Thank you for praying with us. Thank you for being our friends & mourning with us. Thank you for realizing I may not be functioning at 100% all the time. Thank you for not using cliches. Thank you for loving us.

I am so thankful that I have a God who is sovereign. I know He loves me & my family. I know He continues to help me through this day by day. I am willing to follow Him wherever He leads me. Thank you for being patient with me as I realize my new "normal" is different from anything I've experienced before. Thank you for continuing to pray for us as we take one step at a time. Thank you for still allowing us to be a part of your life & pray for you! We still believe in prayer! We still believe God can do miracles! He is the same yesterday, today, & tomorrow. We can REST in that!

Love,
Melinda

The Size of Seth's Prints

My sister suggested using a coin to show perspective with Seth's prints so that others could know what size they really are. They are tiny... yet perfect!

In Memory of

Our Precious Baby Boy

Seth Timothy Whited

born

April 30, 2008

at 23 weeks

7 1/2 ounces

8 inches

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort... 2 Cor 1:3-4

April Showers Bring APRIL Flowers!

Can you believe that these are flowers in our yard?? If you know me well, you will say, "NO!" I do not have a green thumb. As a matter of fact, I'm not real sad about it. I wish you could have a beautiful yard just by wishing! Okay, that may make me sound lazy, but it is true. I don't enjoy yard work. I'm afraid of bees & fire ants (I'm allergic to both). The grass makes me itch! And weeding... GOSH... what a job! Nonetheless, I am getting to enjoy God's beautiful creation in my own yard as a result of me doing nothing! What an awesome blessing!

The family who lived here for years were major gardeners! I am reaping the benefits of their hard work. (Gosh, I'm sure there is a spiritual lesson there!) Unfortunately, they were ill the last several years they lived here, then no one lived here for a while, so NOW the beds are FILLED with weeds. But the flowers still bloom. I'm sure eventually the weeds will choke them out, but for now we are blessed. (Another spiritual lesson?)

Just for those who gasp at the idea of the weeds & me not wanting to weed... I am doing my best to make a dent! Whenever we go out to play, I am trying to pull up some weeds & prune some of the trees & bushes. I'm even trying to get the kids involved. They work for a little while. =0)

Well, I just thought I'd share some beautiful flowers with you. I wish you could see them in person... and help pull some weeds! Anyone up for a mission trip!? hee hee!

Love, Melinda =0)

Please Keep Praying!

My father got his results back. He still has MRSA. =0( They have put him on a new antibiotic. Please pray for his body to be healed, for MRSA to be gone, and for him to be restored to full health. Please pray for the doctor to be wise & for Daddy to be getting the treatment he needs! Thank you! Love, Melinda =0)
**Update** Daddy is MRSA free! Praise the Lord! Thank you for Praying!! =0)