On a Serious Note

Life is precious, it's fragile and it's beautiful and it's it's fleeting. We are reminded of this as we watch the daughter of our very good friends battle a rare autoimmune deficiency the past few days. Only weeks from her first birthday she's now had several blood transfusions, surgeries and has nearly lost her foot because - for unknown reasons - her body has turned on it's own red blood cells. Her body is, essentially, trying to kill itself. A little perspective on the story, they were pregnant with Maddy at the same time that we lost our first daughter, and they were a big part of our support during that time, so I know they had great respect and appreciation for their own little blessing. Now, to sit and watch helplessly as breathing tubes are inserted and blood is pumped in and out of their poor little girl, they are being wrecked, slowly and painfully. A dagger twisting and turning as it creeps through their heart. After several intense days doctors seem to be optimistic that a full recovery will happen, but there's still a ways to go. Our prayers have been with them, and will remain with them, but it also causes us to pause and thank God for what we have been given. Not that we don't do this every day, but it's rare that we dwell on the fragility of our existence. Now our children's lives have become more precious than our own, more valuable to us and more important to preserve. I know our friends would gladly change places with Maddy, take on that pain, that suffering, that risk - as would I for our girls. It's amazing what parenthood does. It takes a man and it makes him a willing martyr for a greater cause - the life of their child. How precious life is, how fragile, how beautiful, how fleeting. Please pray for Maddy. Her parents are amazing people, and she carries their hearts with in her.