We were told people were praying for us and it isn’t until you’re in the midst of crisis that you truly appreciate the power and comfort found in prayer.
Our doctor made this comment, “It is the best of a worst case scenario”, and he is right. 2 of our hardest days, Tuesday being the day Melissa delivered Isabella and Thursday the day we buried her, were the best they could be. Below are a few ways we saw God mercifully working and the effect of prayer on us and our families.
Here are some observations from Tuesday. First and foremost we saw God respond to prayer in the delivery. The doctor told us Melissa wouldn’t deliver her until after dark. In fact when he came by at lunch he said the medicine used to induce hadn’t even begun to work. God moved and at 1:55 PM Melissa delivered her. Dr. Williams was amazed at what happened. So we saw God respond to prayers for the easiest delivery possible. Second, God allowed us to understand what happened in the womb. It is crazy but our daughter was too active! She discovered the joy of movement in the womb and moved so much she twisted the cord so tight that over time it couldn’t provide the nutrients she needed. As painful as knowing is, in my mind it is the best answer we could receive. There was nothing wrong with her, we did nothing to cause the loss, Isabella just liked to move. I can wrap my mind around that. Third, God was in the details. I realized afterwards that if Melissa had delivered after dark we would have had little time with our precious daughter. But because she delivered in the afternoon when the funeral home had a prior engagement, we were given almost 4 hours with her. To see her face and study it, to hold her tiny hand in ours, to hold her and to watch our parents hold her. I will never forget that time and would trade almost anything for time with her. While giving her up was the hardest thing I’ve had to do, I will cherish the time we had with her.
Some observations from Thursday. First, God in the details again. The weather was calling for rain to start at noon with scattered showers throughout the morning. I wish I had a picture of the radar that my brother in law showed me. From the time we started till the moment our guest left, we were surrounded by rain but didn’t see it or feel it. AMAZING! Second, seeing her dressed in the dress and blanket. It is the sweetest picture I’ll ever have etched into my mind. Third, the service itself was healing, honest, and hopeful. Bro. Dan’s word were some of the best I’ll never remember but I do remember feeling peaceful and calm in the midst of the storm. Last, the people. When we planned the service we thought we only wanted our family there but God saw it differently. When we pulled into the cemetery we thought there was a second funeral. Cars and people were everywhere. Family, friends from Cookeville and Mississippi, coworkers from Stevens Street and her dad’s office, and so many more. We know there were over 100 people there. It blew us away. It was good to hug necks, cry with some people and laugh with others afterward.
There are so many other things I remember from the day – watching our parents, seeing her grave filled in, feeling empty and yet full at the same time. We are back in Cookeville and I pray we will not forget, that the memories will not be clouded and hazy as time passes. God was definitely with us during those 2 hard days and we felt and experienced the prayers of many.
