Showing posts with label Those Nail-Scarred Hands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Those Nail-Scarred Hands. Show all posts

Friday, December 24, 2010

Blessed Christmas! - A Letter to Jesus' Child-Loss Parents on Christmas Morn ~ Mary Did You Know?





Blessed Christmas!


A Letter to Jesus' Child-Loss Parents on Christmas Morn


~


Mary Did You Know?






Mary, Did You Know




~Written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene


~Sung by Clay Aiken


~Video scenes from Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ"




Mary, did you know

that your baby boy would one day walk on water?


Mary, did you know

that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?


Did you know,

that your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered,

will soon deliver you.


Mary, did you know

that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?


Mary, did you know

your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?


Did you know,

that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

When you kiss your little baby,

you've kissed the face of God.


O Mary did you know?


The blind will see

The deaf will hear

The dead will live again.

The lame will leap

The dumb will speak

The praises of The Lamb.


Mary, did you know

that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?


Mary, did you know

that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?


Did you know,

that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding, is the great I AM.



*****


Jan 1 - The Octave of Christmas (8th day after Christmas) The Law of Moses calls for a male child to be taken to the Temple for circumcision at which time the mother is considered to be 'the mother'.



A Letter to Jesus' Child-Loss Parents on Christmas Morn



Mother Mary... th' only Child-loss mother

Who got t' see your Child again this side o' Heav'n,

'Nd yet suffered horrid scene of another:

You were there t' view th' sordid death of your Child...


Tell us, Mother Mary, what was it like

To see your Son restored again on earth,

Having conquered death with God's Holy Smite

To stand before His mother full of smiles?



God of Heav'n, give us faith that we might see

Our holy child as she stands before Thee

With holy rapture on her face, at peace

Before her Living Lord, the King of Kings

Who pardoned all her sins and set her free,

This ransomed soul rescued from sure captivity.



What mercy not to see her violent death

When Vile One snatched her from her mother's arms,

Cast her body to th' ground for her last breath

Thinking he'd surely won th' last victory...


But up from the ground He arose to smite

Vile death, th' spawn of that Wicked Enemy,

And with that resurrection brought my child

Up to His side, outpouring tears and smiles!


Lord, thank You that on this Holy Morn we see

Christ the Lord, our child's and our Newborn King

Who came to set all His captives free

To live together with Him through all eternity,

Steeped in love and peace and laughter, to see

Our Lord of Lords with nail-scarred hands seated

On the throne of Love's hard-won victory!



Thank You for Your willingness t' suffer Child-loss

Allowing Your child t' die on cruel cross

To rescue each of us, Your tender lambs

To restored Life in th' arms of our Great I AM.



We bow before You this Morn in holy awe

In grief for all You grievously saw

That we and our babies might live again

Because of our Newborn King's nail-scarred hand...



Looking with the eyes of faith as You taught

T' years of holding one another in love

Because of Love's Great Sacrifice You wrought.

Thank You for gracing us w'th such Abba love!



Seeing our sweet Merry Katherine in Your arms,

We cry, "Merry Christmas!" as our heart warms...





Wishing all my GCC friends...





*****


As a Merry Christmas bonus, I wanted to add these poems that I found tonight on a grieving mother's (Noemi, mother of Luijoe) blog I have followed for awhile. Noemi lost her 6-year-old son while on her vacation with him and their family in 2000.






My First Christmas in Heaven



I see countless Christmas trees

Around the world below,

With tiny lights like heaven's stars,

Reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular,

Please wipe away the tear,

For I am spending Christmas

With Jesus this year.



I hear the many Christmas songs

That people hold so dear,

But the sound of music can't compare

With the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you,

The joy their voices bring,

For it is beyond description,

To hear the angels sing.



I know how much you miss me,

I see the pain inside your heart,

But I am not so far away;

We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones;

You know I hold you dear,

And be glad I'm spending Christmas

With Jesus Christ this year.



I sent you each a special gift,

From my heavenly father above,

I sent you each a memory

Of my undying love.

After all love is a gift,

More precious than pure gold,

It was always most important

In the stories that Jesus told.



Please love each other,

As my father said to do,

For I can't count the blessingS or love

He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas

And wipe away that tear,

Remember--- I am spending Christmas

With Jesus this year.








In Heaven We'll Understand



Not now , but in the coming years

It may be in the heavenly Land,

We'll read the meaning of our tears:

Some day in Heaven we'll understand


We'll know why clouds instead of sun

Were over many a cherished plan;

Why smiles have ceased when just begun;

Some day in heaven we'll understand.


Then trust in God, through all thy days

Fear not for He doth hold thy hand;

But whilst you live, still sing and praise;

Some day in Heaven we'll understand.

(Anna Lee Edwards McAlpin)






May you have a very Merry, and very Blessed Christmas Day!










pictures:

Top Mary image: http://www.blueavemaria.com/the_univ_rosary.htm

Others - PhotoBucket.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN70R-3ao0U

Poem - A Letter to Jesus' Child-Loss Parents on Christmas Morn - Angie Bennett Prince - 12/22/10

Final poems: http://angel-luijoe.net/poems.html#christmas


A note on http://forum.christianwomentoday.com discusses the possible author of My First Christmas in Heaven:


(I'm not sure who the author of the following poem is, but it is really nice. It has been attributed to a 13 year old girl named Lysandra Kay Bencke who had a seizeure. After being in a coma for 5 days, she apparently died on Christmas day in 1997. Another source says it was a 13 year old boy named Ben who died of a brain tumor after battling the disease for 4 years. Apparently he gave this poem to his mom prior to his death on Dec 14/1997. Whoever wrote it, I pray that it will bless some of you wonderful ladies. Get out the tissues, especially if you have lost a loved one this year... (and if anyone knows for sure who the author was, please let me know. Thanks)


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Wednesday's Woe - Love's Demand ~ Taste the Pain as Love Never Dies





“Dear One,

your tears do not fall upon desolate lands,

rather they are collected and counted, each one

as they fall into my nail scarred hands."


~Toni Ann Alba




Wednesday's Woe



Love's Demand ~Taste the Pain as


Love Never Dies




When I'm weak, then I am strong;

Help me Lord, not feel so wrong!

Having You hover o'er me

Is the best place I can be...




Like the beast upon the hill

Looks to You to feed him still,

Put a check upon my heart

When I'm weak and fall apart...

For I'm a grieving mother ~

There's no grief any tougher...


My God comes to comfort me ~

Not condemn nor question me.

He will be there when I'm weak;

To my inner soul, He'll speak.



He put love into my heart

For my child right from the start,


And He knows love never dies;

He knows why this mother cries,


So my tears He'll not despise:

To not cry, my heart belies!



My hurt and pain He won't scorn;

He said ~ "Blessed are those who mourn."



Help me Your words to believe~

For child-loss mothers must grieve

And trust that You'll come beside...

In Your bosom, let me hide.



Lord, when You draw me near,

Your nail-scarred hand will catch each tear.



Father, when I look at You,

I see tears in Your eyes too,

For You know the hurt and pain:

Your own Child-loss scars remain.



All my tears You understand...

They're a part of love's demand!



So when I'm weak, I'm strong

When for my baby girl I long.


I'll taste the pain such love brings...

Till my heart in Heaven sings!



*****



Those who sow in tears

will weep with songs of joy.


~Psalm 126:5



In Heaven,

(God) will wipe wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away."

Revelation 21:4-5










~Toni Ann Alba -from comment on http://blog.greglaurie.com/?p=2695
All Scripture from the New International Version of The Holy Bible
Poem - Love's Demand ~ Taste the Pain as Love Never Dies - Angie Bennett Prince - 9/5/10

Monday, August 31, 2009

Monday Mourning Ministry - You Never Let Go!





Monday Mourning Ministry


Searching the Bible on Behalf of us Bereaved Parents
as we Grieve Our Great Loss…


“May your heart be held tenderly in those nail-scarred hands to bring you comfort and peace.”
~Lynn Mosher,
(written to me on Twitter this week)





(Jesus said,)

"I will not leave you as orphans;

I will come to you.

Because I live, you also will live.

Peace I leave with you;

My peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled

and do not be afraid.

I am going away and I will come to you.”

John 14:18,19b,27,28a




The Lord is my shepherd,

I shall lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in

green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet

waters,

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of

righteousness

for His name's sake.

Even though I walk

through the valley of the

shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for You are with me,

Your rod and Your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my

enemies.

You anoint my head with

oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love

will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house

of the Lord

forever.

Psalm 23



You Never Let Go

by Matt Redman


Even though I walk

Through the valley of the shadow of death

Your perfect love is casting out fear

And even when I'm caught

In the middle of the storms of this life

I won't turn back I know You are near


(PreChorus:)

And I will fear no evil,

For my God is with me.

And if my God is with me,

Whom then shall I fear?

Whom then shall I fear?


Chorus:

Oh no, You never let go

Through the calm and through the storm

Oh no, You never let go

In ev'ry high and ev'ry low

Oh no You never let go

Lord, You never let go of me


And I can see a light that is coming

For the heart that holds on

A glorious light beyond all compare

And there will be an end to these troubles

But until that day comes

We'll live to know You here on the earth



(PreChorus:)

And I will fear no evil,

For my God is with me.

And if my God is with me,

Whom then shall I fear?

Whom then shall I fear?


Oh no, You never let go

Through the calm and through the storm

Oh no, You never let go

In ev'ry high and ev'ry low

Oh no, You never let go

Lord, You never let go of me


You keep on loving, and you never let go!

Oh no, You never let go

Through the calm and through the storm

Oh no, You never let go

In ev'ry high and ev'ry low

Oh no, You never let go

Lord, You never let go of me


Yes I can see a light

That is coming for the heart that holds on

And there will be an end to these troubles

But until that day comes

Still I will praise You

Still I will praise You!


Repeat


Oh no, You never let go

Through the calm and through the storm

Oh no, You never let go

In ev'ry high and ev'ry low

Oh no, You never let go

Lord, You never let go of me


Repeat

Oh! Lord, You never let go of me!