Dearest Daniel,
Today was your 11th birthday. I am sure I do not have to tell you that. And I am also sure that your most glorious birthdays have been the ones since going HOME. Nothing here could compete with the glory of heaven.
And as I wait to celebrate again with you one day, Our Lord Jesus has been most gracious to me. I could hardly believe my eyes this morning when I opened my Spurgeon devotional and read his words for the morning of January 6th:
""CASTING ALL YOUR ANXIETIES ON HIM, BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU. "-1 Peter 5:7
It is a happy way of soothing sorrow when we can feel "He cares for me." Christian, do not dishonor religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight that your Father would not feel. What seems a crushing burden would be to Him but as small dust of the balance. Nothing is so sweet as to
Lie passive in God's hands, And know no will but His.
O child of suffering, be patient; God has not passed you over in His providence. He who is the feeder of sparrows will also furnish you with what you need. Do not sit in despair; hope on, hope ever. Take up the arms of faith against a sea of trouble, and your opposition shall yet end your distresses. There is One who cares for you. His eye is fixed on you, His heart beats with pity for your woe, His omnipotent hand shall bring you the needed help. The darkest cloud shall scatter itself in showers of mercy. The blackest gloom shall give place to the morning. He, if you are one of His family, will bind up your wounds and heal your broken heart. Do not doubt his grace because of your tribulation, but believe that He loves you as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness. What a serene and quiet life you might lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence! With a little oil in the cruse and a handful of meal in the barrel, Elijah outlived the famine, and you will do the same. If God cares for you, why do you need to care too? Can you trust Him for your soul and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens; He has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! Say good-bye to anxiety and leave all your concerns in the had of a gracious God." ~ Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon, January 6th
My heart can hardly fathom how words penned so long ago would be the words that I would read this morning on what would be your 11th birthday. The missing never ends, but neither does God's grace to my broken heart. To think that the One you see face to face every day, has a heart that beats with pity for my woe...He is with me in the missing and the hope He give me sets my eyes on a most glorious reunion one day! One glorious, glorious day!! Daniel, your faith is already sight! What a marvelous thought that truth is.
You were such a trooper in this life. You were a picture of perseverance. This morning I also turned to these words in my Billy Graham devotional:
"There was once a little boy who was riding alone in a train, and the scenery was not too interesting. A woman sitting beside him asked, 'Are you tired of the long ride?'
The boy smiled and said, 'I'm a little tired, but I don't mind it much. You see, my father is going to meet me when I get there.' Sometimes we get tired of the burdens of life, but we know that Jesus Christ will meet us at the end of our own life's journey-- and that makes all the difference...Knowing we will be with Christ forever for outweighs our burdens today! Keep your eyes on eternity!"
When I read them to Lizzy, without missing a beat she said, "That little boy is like Daniel." Yes, I could not agree more. You had to be so tired in this life Daniel! Your body always fighting against you. Yet you were so filled with joy! You loved life and your people. You loved BIG. What a gift your life was.
I love you Daniel! I hope you are okay with the presents I got for your daddy and brothers and sisters. I know you would probably have picked out some way cooler ones, but it was fun to do it on your behalf. This was definitely the beginning of a fun tradition to honor your life. I couldn't help to think of how the pile of presents will grow as people are added to our family in the years to come. One day, Lord willing, it will be a large group of us at the Rainforest Cafe. This year we face-timed Drew for the french fry toast. I love how you loved that place and the memories it holds!
Happy birthday Daniel!
Love you so much,
Mommy
O God! I miss him so. Thank you for your grace to my aching heart today. Thank you for the gift of Daniel's life. Thank you
for the hope I have for a future more glorious than I can dare to
imagine. Give Daniel my love and a BIG hug from his mama. How I would
love to feel his sweet hand pressed into mine this day.
