life and pop-ups

I've probably been a little more on the quiet side than what I usually am...I guess you could say that I've been thinking a lot. The big thing within the past few days has been the idea that I'm not going to meet my newest little niece. I was getting pretty excited to see her and hold her...especially since she was due to join us this coming Saturday. But, for one reason or another, God thought it wasn't quite time yet for us to meet her. Emma Grace was born on, and joined our Heavenly Father on Saturday morning, November 15th.
It is a little hard for it to sink in. I know, some people may think - well, you never really knew her...she hadn't been born yet. And, I'll admit, my mind sometimes thinks that, too. But, the more that I think about it, there's sadness. Yeah, maybe I hadn't gotten the chance to meet her, but that doesn't take away the fact that I won't get the chance to meet her on this earth. I knew she was coming, and I saw the excitement in my brother & sister-in-laws faces every time it was brought up (and even in times that it wasn't brought up...they just had an aura of new happiness about them).
But, to expand things out from just my personal life, there's a lot of sadness around. It seems like there's always news of someones job loss, or someones marriage is on the rocks a bit, or someones plans took a turn for the worst, or someone who lost their mother, or someone who is battling some kind of addiction or depression....a lot of sadness!
And, I end up feeling pretty helpless. I don't know what to say, or what to do for the person. So, the news ends up sitting on my mind - it keeps popping back in my head from time to time throughout the day. I'm wondering how their doing, wondering when things will start to look up for them, wondering when all this sadness will end. But, that's when I remember what I call those thought pop-ups in my head...I call that my own version of prayer.
A handful of years ago, I worked for Walters Gardens. I would spend my whole working day sitting in a room full of ladies and plants. Talk about a day full of thoughts and conversations! Well, this particular summer, I was really digging into my faith. I remember I was sitting with an older lady, and we were bouncing our questions back and forth off of each other. One question that I distinctly remember being worried about what that I didn't think I prayed enough. I wasn't in the habit of waking up 10 minutes earlier to spend time in prayer before I started my day. And, I would try to do that before I went to bed, but I would always end up falling asleep before I was 5 minutes into it. I told my fellow weed-picker that I would often think of stuff I wanted to lift up to God in prayer, but whenever I formally sat down to pray, I wouldn't ever finish, for one reason or another. And, here's where it dawned on me...every time I would think of my "prayer requests" throughout the day, I was actually praying and lifting them up to God. I realized that prayer doesn't necessarily need to be something so formal. So, now I think of all my "thought pop-ups" as prayer...being in constant communication with God. That was such a relief and reassurance when I came to that realization!
So, to wrap things up...yeah, there's sadness everywhere. But, even in those times when I don't know what to do or what to say, maybe I really end up doing the best thing that I can be doing...every time I think about it, I'm lifting that person or that situation up to God in prayer.

the power of prayer

Earlier today, we got news that a couple near to us has been told that they've lost their baby which the mother has been carrying for some months. They were at a doctor's appointment, and they weren't able to find the baby's heartbeat. So, they were sent to the hospital to have their "more advanced" machines take a listen. However, they weren't able to find the baby's heartbeat at the hospital, either. I can't imagine what it would be like to have the doctors tell you that the unborn baby you're carrying isn't alive in your womb...the same baby you've been preparing for, and loving for so long, and anxiously expecting to meet him or her in just a short time. The two were sent home this afternoon, and told to take the time they wanted to come to grasps with the news they were just told, and to contact the doctors when they decide they're ready to continue with the process.
These are two wonderful people who are always happy...always have smiles on their faces...and always make anyone feel special. God must know that deep down they can handle something as tragic as this...for He never gives His children anything they can't handle. But, that's hard to swallow!...especially when you're in the midst of the chaos and turmoil.
But, the reason why I felt that I needed to post something about this was because of a thought that God whispered to me tonight. I was driving in my car, wondering what I could do for them or say to them, and praying to God...asking Him what went wrong, and why this happened. And then I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to me...the words I heard were "Pray for a miracle". I had immediately defaulted, if you will, to grief when I first heard that this little baby wasn't going to live on this earth. But, those words gave me hope! Now, I honestly don't know the first thing about medical technology. And, I don't know how 100% sure these doctors were when they told the couple. But, if I know anything at all, it is that my God is a big God, and nothing is impossible for Him!
So, that is why I am posting. From what I have heard, this couple is going to take tomorrow to let things settle in, and then call to make an appointment for sometime on Saturday. That is more than enough time for God to tweak whatever is going on in the mother's womb, and "breathe the living breath of God" into that baby again.
Please, I'm asking you to take just one small moment to lift this baby up to God...ask Him...believe that He will work a miracle in the next days. ...what a testament of the power of prayer that could be!