2009 Gathering to Remember

It was an unseasonably warm day with lots of sunshine. We had approx. 30 women join us for a day of pampering and remembering our babies.  It was so much fun to have Michelle and Laurel from Hearts of Hope there to speak.  The food was amazing and drinking tea from real cups and saucers really brought out the girly girl in all of us.  Here is the memorial video made for the event.  We had to change the song due to some copyright issues but the name of the actual song we used at the tea is called Calmer of the Storm by Downhere.  Enjoy!

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Happy Easter morning!

This Easter morning, I’m up before the hustle and bustle of the holiday begins because I want to share something that’s been on my heart for a few weeks, but that I feel especially strongly this morning…

I had the honor and privilege a few weeks ago to attend the funeral of a sweet baby girl who lived only a matter of minutes here on this earth.  I know how deeply she will be missed by her parents and brothers, especially in these first weeks and months…  But when it was time for this family to make her arrangements, they chose to have a memorial service that would celebrate not only her life, but would celebrate God.  They wanted to know that they were sharing the truth of Jesus with their family and friends and the hope that they were not forever separated from their daughter.  I was so touched by their desire, but I was touched even more, sitting in the memorial service, as I heard the message that was given.

Sitting in that room, as the minister spoke about the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection for us, I was reminded by God of the fact that He is a parent who has known the loss of a child…He watched his son’s persecution, suffering and eventual death.  He knows the loneliness of this loss, and He knows how deeply it cuts into our hearts… 

But the words that grabbed my heart that afternoon was the truth of God’s loss…if there had been any other way for us to come to God, He would have taken it–He would have made that way a reality…but the truth this morning and every morning is that there was no other way for us to be reconciled to God.  God willingly walked the path of grief because having us with Him for eternity was worth it.

This weekend I was reminded of the frailty of life and the imperfections of the world we live in as I ministered to a family in the hospital, watching over their sweet son who is on life support.  I was also contacted by a family who yesterday buried their precious daughter after only one month of life.  I was contacted by a third family who has a daughter in the hospital, three weeks old and fighting a case of bacterial meningitis.  We live in a fallen world, where bad things happen to good people and there is honestly very little within our control.  But we serve a God who holds this whole world in His hands, who knows our broken hearts, and has given us a way to have eternal life with Him and the loved ones we have lost.

This Easter, if you don’t know the Risen Lord Jesus as your personal savior, or if you are struggling with how God fits in your life, know that He is with you–every moment of the day, every step you take.  He knows you inside and out, all of the good, the bad, the heartache, and He loves you and would go through losing Jesus all over again just to be a part of your life.  I pray peace and blessings upon you and your family and most of all I pray that you will draw closer to God today…

Happy Easter!

Alaina

You Wouldn’t Cry…

Kristin and I were blessed by the opportunity on Tuesday morning to hear Mandisa live on the K-Love morning show.  Tuesday was the release of her new cd “Freedom” and she shared the story behind one of the new songs on her album…

After a concert, Mandisa was signing autographs and a very pregnant young woman was in line.  When it was her turn, Mandisa and the young woman got to talking about this woman’s pregnancy (she was due any day) and Mandisa actually felt the baby move and prayed over the mom and baby…Four days later, this young woman went into labor and delivered a precious stillborn baby boy, Andrew.  A friend of the young woman’s contacted Mandisa.  As Mandisa struggled to put together a cd to comfort the young mother, she couldn’t find a song that really expressed what she wanted to share…so “You Wouldn’t Cry” was written in memory of precious Andrew for his mother, from his perspective of Heaven…

As Kristin and I listened together over the phone (both listening on our own radios), we were both so touched by the song that we wanted to share it with you…I hope that this song has you reaching not only for the Kleenex:), but for the gracious comfort of our Heavenly Father as you let your precious baby speak to you through the lyrics of this powerful song…

Love you all…Alaina

http://widget.nabbr.com/mandisa.html

Song #11 “You Wouldn’t Cry”

CHRISTmas Party 2008

What a fun Christmas celebration we had with all of you this year.  What was first thought to be a boring Christmas towel exchange turned out to be rather ruthless but lots of laughs were had by all.  And what a sweet candlelight memorial we shared together as we remember our precious babies.  I have attached a few pictures for you all to enjoy.  We wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.  See you on January 12, 2009!    

How to more than just survive Christmas.

Christmas can be challenging all by itself and when you have been through a life changing experience, like the death of a child, it can be unbearable.  Family gatherings can be a painful reminder of what was supposed to be.  This was supposed to be the first Christmas with your baby.  Instead you are forced to paste on a smile for your family and pretend that your heart isn’t broken.  I have had several Christmas’ where I carried a broken heart for one reason or another.  I went to my family gatherings not realizing that I expected my family to make it better.  I didn’t know it but somehow I expected that they should know how much I hurt and give me the compassion and understanding that I deserved.  That never happened and I always left feeling sad and angry but I didn’t really understand why. Well it’s taken me a long time but God is beginning to show me why.  He is starting to reveal my expectations and show me why every Christmas leaves me feeling sad and unfulfilled.  My heart has been full of expectations that I didn’t even know I had.  I expected to be loved, consoled, and understood by people who have never loved, consoled or understood me.  No wonder I don’t like Christmas.  This year I’m doing it different.  This year I was given the Peace Prayer of St. Francis.  God has used this prayer to reveal to me my expectations of others and to realize that I need only have these expectations of Him.  After all, He is the only one who will never fail me.  So I’m going to Christmas this year to love others, to understand others, to give to others.  Yes, my heart will still be broken but I will no longer expect my family to make it better.  I am going with the intention of showing love, hope, faith and forgiveness to someone in my family who needs it, instead of waiting for someone to do it for me.  There is only one healer of the brokenhearted, and only one who understands the depth of your pain over the loss of your baby, only one.  That’s Jesus.  So with this prayer I challenge you this Christmas with your broken heart and all.  Be the person that you want someone to be for you.  Recognize a difficulty that somebody might be facing….give a hug that someone didn’t know they needed and really mean it….and by all means leave your expectations at home.  My wish for you this Christmas is to experience the blessing of sewing love, forgiveness, faith, hope, and joy in the life of someone else.  Merry Christmas.

Love,

Renee    

 

 

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Christmas in Heaven

Tonight at group as part of our celebration I will be playing a song.  I wanted to be able to share this song with you and how you can get a copy for yourself.  Please click on the link below or copy it into your browser and the song will begin to play. 

www.sarahschieber.com

God bless you this Christmas

Renee

Angel cowboy

Recently I received this from a very special person.  I was touched so deeply by the simplicity of this child’s words that I felt compelled to share it with all of you.  Please feel free to pass along to anyone that you know who has lost someone.  May his words be a little salve to all of your broken hearts as we prepare for this Thanksgiving.  God bless.

 

Renee

 

Who wants to blog?

     Hello ladies.  So here we are with a fresh start to our “blogging”!  We announced last night at group that we will once again attempt to stay current on the blog if all of you ladies are willing to write as well.  We would like to use this as a tool to stay better in touch in between groups and to further discuss topics discussed at group or that are heavy on your heart.  If you would like to sign up to receive an e-mail notification when someone has blogged look in the archives under June 2007.  There you will find step by step directions.

     Last nigths group subject was guilt.  There is so much guilt that is associated with the loss of a baby.  Do you have guilt that you are still struggling with?   We discussed that the definition of guilt is “the fact of being responsible of a crime or wrongdoing”.  Look at what you are feeling guilty over and ask yourself if what you are struggling with is indeed a fact.  Most often it is not.  We tend to beat ourselves up over the “what if’s” and the “if only’s”.  It comes down to accepting what happened and knowing that God was in control the whole time.  Tell us how you are feeling about guilt. . .  

     ~Kristin

Walk to Remember

     Thank you Renee for posting some pictures from the Walk.  They are awesome pictures although I must say nothing could really capture the beauty of the day.  Once again God granted us a glorious day with blue skies, the sun shining at full force and the leaves brilliantly changing colors all around us.  Signs of Him wherever we turned!  I was blown away by the number of people that attended this year . . . 415 with almost 80 babies being remembered!  WOW!!!  It is so powerful to have so many people all come together for one reason – to remember their baby that was here for too short of a time.  Our speaker was fantastic, the musical talent blew me away and I can’t forget to mention the angel statue that towered over us with her wings spread!  I can just say that the day was unforgettable and I thank everyone who gave of their time to make it so special!  The 2008 Walk to Remember was definitely a day to remember!

~Kristin

A Walk to Remember 2008

Sunday October 19, 2008, Tiny Purpose had the privilege of once again sponsoring “A Walk to Remember”.  This year over 400 people attended celebrating 75 babies.  It was an awesome day.