Wink from Heaven: Today

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Today

Oh sweet Ben. We will miss you so.

We have faith.
We know where you are.
We know you are happy.
But today,
we are just so sad.
Our hearts ache
to know it will be a while
until we meet again.
It is an honor
to have you
for our celestial friend.
We love you forever.

Click to play this Smilebox scrapbook: Heaven Sent

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8 comments:

Lisa Christine said...: I am sure he was an angel. Thoughts and prayers to his family....; May 30, 2010 at 7:48 AM
ANewKindOfPerfect said...: How lucky you are to have gotten the chance to meet Ben and Becky! I never got to, and I am just heartbroken. :(; May 30, 2010 at 11:05 AM
The VW's said...: What a beautiful tribute to Ben! I am so saddened by the loss of him! Your boys were so adorable together! What a touching friendship! Love, Hugs and Prayers!!!; May 30, 2010 at 1:11 PM
shirlgirl said...: A agree with the VW's--this is a beautiful tribute to Ben, my dear great nephew. His loss will leave an empty spot in our lives but we will always have him in our hearts. He was a special spirit, and I am so happy that he and Caleb got to be friends. Love the smilebox pictures of them both. Thank you for sharing these, April.; May 31, 2010 at 8:20 AM
Ashley Dawn said...: What a great opportunity to have such a great friend. My heart goes out to his family.; May 31, 2010 at 1:20 PM
Alanna said...: Becky, I've never met you, but I know you're wonderful from the way April talks about you. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers.
luv, Alanna Moody; June 1, 2010 at 7:05 AM
Tara Bennett said...: Oh, April. You have such a way with words....

My heart has just been breaking for Becky since I found out. You have also been in my thoughts and prayers. Thank goodness for an eternal perspective and the comfort that can come from the Holy Ghost.

I love you.; June 2, 2010 at 7:42 AM
Karen said...: Sending our love and thoughts for this very special friend.; June 3, 2010 at 8:52 PM

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.