March 19, 1980
Sometimes my BLESSINGS in life are hard to see and may even be disguised as tragedy or disaster at first. My post today is that kind of a BLESSING, it happened 27 years ago today, and taught me life lessons of patience, sympathy, greiving, pain, perserverence, love, support and most of all... that God is in control of my life- not me! I was 27 years old at the time, a planner, a control freek and had my life mapped out. A dream home, wonderful husband, supportive friends and Church family, great job, baby on the way, and life was good. Little Joe was born on March 19, 1980 after a perfect pregnancy, a perfect 8 pound baby boy born into the perfect all American Christian family. And everything was perfect- until we made preparations to take our son home 2 days later. The doctor came in to tell us Little Joe had a congential heart defect and that we needed to take him by ambulance to UNC teaching hospital 4.5 hours away. After a long optomistic night, we were told that our perfect little son would die. He had hypoplastic left heart syndrone and the left side of his heart did not form during pregnancy. The coming hours ticked by slowly but provided us with 24 more hours to love our son, have him baptized, and treasure the small amount of time that God had given us to spend with Joseph Lawson Carson III. He died in our arms surrounded by family and love. The trip home, the funeral, the suffocating pain, the overwhelming heartbreak, and now a life to finish without our son. But that wasn't the end, that was where our BLESSINGS begin, only to make us stronger... family that stood by us and showed us the paths to take to get through this, best friends that shared our pain and are still best friends 27 years later, a church that rallied behind us to help us through and continues to do the same today, and the faith we needed in God that let us know- He was in control- with plans for us so big that we could not comprehend it at the time. Happy Birthday Little Joe, you BLESSED our lives in ways that we never thought possible.
posted by Nancy @ 2:05 PM
21 Comments:
And the promise that you will one day get to see him again in heaven. What a day and a blessing that will be! (((Nancy)))
How wonderful that the blessings so worked out!! You can see them now and one day you will see Joe again..Sandy
I can't even imagine the pain of losing a child, but I can see why you would certainly count this time in your life as a blessing..
((hugs))
Oh my, Nancy, my heart is so touched by this story. Your ability to continue to find blessings in everyday life after an experience like this amazes me.
What a beautiful post!
It is so very encouraging to see how you have built your house upon the rock and have embraced your loss with faith in God! You truly used your pain to take up your cross and follow Jesus by entering into His sufferings. Instead of becoming bitter, you have learned to depend on Him and know that He is good even in the most difficult and painful of times. May this be an example to us all-Thank you for sharing this Nancy! May God bless. With Love, Claudia O.
What a sad day that was, and what a beautiful tribute 27 years later. God is so good - and what would we do without our church families, and our Christian families? Well done.
Oh Nancy, my heart is breaking for what you and your family endured 27 years ago. Thank you for sharing you loss... but also the blessings you gained as you allowed many to minister to your needs, as you grieved over the years.
We are never the same after such a loss... know that your precious little Joe will be forever remembered.
Oh it's hard to read that without weeping. I don't think we ever quite get over such a loss, but we do learn things about the Father we probably wouldn't have otherwise. You have blessed me with your sweet spirit and loving acceptance that God is in control and He loves you very much.
Nancy--tears in my eyes.
That's all I can say.
Heartbreaking, Nancy. I can't imagine.
Nancy, thanks for sharing your story. Your Joseph is watching over you and is very proud of all that you do.
xoxo
Hilary
My wife would have had a brother two days older than I, but he died two days after entering this world--of the same lung problem made famous by the death of John and Jackie Kennedy's baby.Thank you for sharing. Now I know why you can relate and communicate so well.
I'm so sorry Nancy...glad that he blessed your life for a short time. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I just looked at the date that you had on the post, I lost a baby a few months after that.
Your words continue to bless and inspire me. Thank you for sharing this initimate and personal story...God Bless.
Oh Nancy....so beautiful.
How incredibly hard it must have been...and God understands the grief, too...He wept when Lazarus died and is touched with the feeling of our infirmity... but how wonderful that He showed you His blessings in so many ways. You are testimony!
And yes, you will see Joe again!
Wow - our stories do have some similarities! Thank you so much for sharing. It really helps to hear someone's perspective 27 years later. Even though I am closer to my immediate grief, I am already beginning to realize that this could be a "blessing" in disguise, but I definitely still have "some of those days" (which I'm sure you know what I mean).
Anyway, I know you're in a much different place now, but I'd love to hear more!
God bless!
Julie
www.emmakatespage.blogspot.com
Waiting for your next blessing post! Hope you're okay.
Been thinking about you. ((((Nancy)))
Thanks for sharing that BLESSING. It's hard at that time to see the true blessing one event in our lives does bring.
(((Nancy)))
Thanks for sharing that experience..that blessing..in your life..
Be sure to stop into my place...I need your address to send you something..You won the extra gift in my spring give-away. Email information is there.
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