Remembering

Scott and I decided to start this new journey. We are not experienced Bloggers so please be patient with us as we familiarize ourselves with this new site. Many of you have been following our precious son, Jeremy's story on the Caring Bridge website. We have gained so much strength from all of you, our Prayer Warriors, during this difficult time in our lives. Aside from the extreme sadness we feel mourning the loss of our baby, we also mourn the loss of the relationships that were strengthened and/or formed within our families, at the hospital, in our church, and our community. It was like everything came to a screeching halt all at the same time. We received a few e-mails with links to other blogs of families who share our pain of losing a child. Circumstances may have been different, but the pain is the same. We felt that perhaps if we created a blog, maybe we too could find some healing.


Many of you have requested that we share the words that we wrote for Jeremy's funeral service. Here they are:

We are here today to celebrate the life of a small little baby, our son, Jeremy Emmett Morse. Even in his short life he impacted the lives of his family, his fiends, his neighbors, his community, and his prayer warriors. He even changed the lives of others that he has never even met. His has done this in many small and big ways. There are far too many to mention, but we’re sure each of you sitting here today could tell of how he has changed your life, in even a small way. For that we are thankful. It brings us much comfort to know that such beautiful things have risen out of the tragedy of losing our child. We must remember that our lives are not about serving ourselves, they are about glorifying God. Jeremy did more work for God in his short life than we have done in 34 years.

Jeremy loved his family. He loved his brothers Trevor and Nolan, and his sister Meredith. He was always a content baby. He was happiest when he was part of whatever was happening with our family. If we were eating dinner, he wanted to be held and to see the table and family sitting around it, and not sit in the swing or bouncy seat. He always wanted to be held facing outward so he could see everything going on around him. Jeremy loved taking a bath. He loved to kick his feet and by his facial expressions, we could tell how proud he was of himself to make a big splash. One of the only times he routinely cried was when we took him out of the tub. We thank God for the privilege and honor of being his parents for the period of time that God loaned him to us. He was never really ours to begin with, for God has always loved him even more than we do. We will ask God for his grace and mercy, to be cast upon us as we grieve and as we approach new experiences in life without our precious baby Jeremy. We will grieve the loss of the milestones and memories that were yet to be made.

As we sat and prayed on one of those days when they said Jeremy might not make it, we thought "God, why?" People will lose faith in you if you let something so horrible happen. And then we thought it would be easy for Jeremy to live and everyone to say "God does answer prayers." But we all know there are a lot of prayers he does not answer, and that does not mean that he is not real or that he has forsaken us. Then we thought, if Jeremy does not make it, what a greater test of faith and testimony to God that the world look at our family after such a loss and say "Wow, God must exist. Look at those people, they still love God." Sometimes, God’s will is not the same as ours. We prayed for a miracle for Jeremy and it still happened, it just wasn’t the same miracle we were hoping for. It has brought us much comfort these last few days as many of you have shared ways that Jeremy has left his mark on your hearts and forever changed your lives for the better. These are the miracles that God created using our son, Jeremy. We are proud of our son. God is and always will be among us. We are living through it, and we know this to be true. It will not be without sadness, without grief, without unimaginable pain. Yet all who look upon our family will know that, despite the trials and tribulations of this world, God is real and he will give us what we need from this day forward - strength, hope, faith, and love.

The doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and staff chose their mission of God’s work - how brave and noble to willingly live through such trials and tribulations, and face miracles and tragedies every day. Our family’s mission has been thrust upon us by God, just like the apostle Paul, and we will not turn away. Jeremy’s earthly work is done, but our mission, through Jeremy, has just begun, and it is our privilege to do God’s work.

Our time here, whether 6 months or 100 years, is just a speck of time. Let us not waste it being frustrated by earthly things. Live well, laugh often, love much, and give thanks to God - life goes by too fast. Jeremy would want us to celebrate life, even the little moments that happen every day. He would want us to see all of God’s blessings that he has made for us and to be thankful for them. Jeremy would want us to see God’s glory in the rays of sunshine in our lives. He would want us to give back and to help others in big and small ways. For Jeremy will live on in our hearts and in the way that we choose to live our lives from this day forth.

Jeremy, it has been our honor and privilege to be your parents and we will be forever grateful for your presence in our lives and in our hearts. We will never forget you and will love you forever, and ever, and always.

Until we meet again, sweet baby boy, rest in God’s peace.

Amen


I found this poem while searching the many blogs out there that belong to other families that have lost a child.

Remembering
Go ahead and mention my child,The one that died, you know.Don't worry about hurting me further.The depth of my pain doesn't show.Don't worry about making me cry.I'm already crying inside.Help me to heal by releasing the tears that I try to hide.I'm hurt when you just keep silent,Pretending he didn't exist.I'd rather you mention my child,Knowing that he has been missed.You asked me how I was doing.I say "pretty good" or "fine".But healing is something ongoing I feel it will take a lifetime. ~ Elizabeth Dent ~

I thought it was beautiful. Scott and I desperately want Jeremy's memory to stay alive! Please know that we are aware that many of you out there want so badly to "fix" this madness in our lives, but you can't. We know that it puts you in an uncomfortable place, what to say, what to do. We want you to do and say whatever your heart leads you to do or to say . We have felt so incredibly blessed along this journey to have the support and most importantly your prayers. Please keep it coming, our journey is not over, we still have many difficult times ahead of us .