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BRIELLE, CELEBRATING HER 14 BIRTHDAY ...
IN HEAVEN!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR SWEET BRIELLE, CELEBRATING HER 14 BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN!!!
By Mommy Lisa
I woke up Sunday morning January 29th at 6:15 while it was still dark. I rushed to throw on sweats, grabbed Brielle’s bible, my journal, and a to go cup of coffee and raced to get up the hill to the cross before the first rays of sunlight lit up the sky. As I walked out my front door I noticed a beautiful pink Gerber daisy plant and card that my friend Diane had left in honor of Brielle. My heart was soooo thankful for that precious gift and the remembrance for me to see at that moment is one I will never forget. As I walked up the street I pulled out the picture that Brielle and I had taken last year, when we walked up the cliff overlooking the ocean in Kauai the morning of her 13th birthday. Sitting, looking out over the billowing white capped waves, as the sun shot brilliant beams of amber light over the water…we hugged each other as I sang the song the Lord filled my heart with at that moment, “It isWell With My Soul.”
I miss her as much this minute as I type this, as the moment I last held her on our couch. The ache in my heart is just as intense, and yet the peace and intimacy with the Holy Spirit that I have experienced in this past year has grown deeper than I ever would have imagined. I AM SO HAPPY FOR BRIELLE TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. Every minute of pain I experience of not having her here, I pray, read the word and focus on where she is, and it truly becomes “WELL WITH MY SOUL,” each time. Yesterday morning I only made it half way up the asphalt walk to the big hill where the cross was before the sun began to peek its way up over the horizon. I sat down, closed my eyes and sang “our song.” When I opened my eyes I noticed two white lines in the sky, not far apart that stretched from where the sun was rising, to the end of the visible catalina island. It was arched like a rainbow. I immediately thought of all the rainbows God gave us to see in Hawaii, and smiled. This morning of my B’s 14th birthday, God gave me two white sky writing lines in the sky in the form of a rainbow to remind me of His promise that I will see my precious Briellie again “Soon and very soon.” “Oh Lord it can’t be soon enough! Please fill me with joy in You that truly is my strength. Please Lord, let me know what my sweet girl is doing this morning of her first Birthday in heaven? As this thought went through my mind…God gave me the words to this poem. I took out a pen and wrote in my journal as fast as my hand could move.
THE CHOSEN
What are you doing in glory my Brielle? You’re 14 today!
The brilliant sunrise from Heaven, it shouts hooray!!!
Our loved ones they greet you, they shout from on High.
“Let’s go see the King B, get up we must fly!”
“He’s weaving a tapestry, you get to peak.
On your birthday Brielle, there’s no need to sneak.”
“You’ll sit on His lap as He forms His great plan…
Blessing the souls of each earth-bound man.”
“The tattered and frayed knots that we saw below,
Are tied up In His hands in beautiful bows.”
“It’s glorious, beautiful, Oh how you see now B!”
“His masterpiece woven….you shout with such glee!!!”
“Keep trusting, keep seeking, surrender, don’t cry.”
“When you get to heaven, the trials, you’ll know why.”
“So your faith would grow so steady and strong
Up here in heaven He weaves all day long.”
“He knows what He’s doing His hands they are skilled.
The tapestry’s BEAUTIFUL, just what He’s WILLLED.”
“The cords never slip from His strong steady hands.
For your good, He shows me, His most beautiful plans.”
“Oh praise you, my Abba! So this is now why!
You sent Your Son Jesus, for this He did die.”
“Thank you my Lord, for this beautiful gift.
I’m 14 today take my hands as I lift.”
“To SEE how You LOVE US, as each day unfolds
We’re chosen, beloved, our hearts you tenderly hold.”
I ran back to our house, and couldn’t wait to share this poem with Jim and our girls. We all kept repeating Wow, Wow, Brielle gets to talk with God face to face and ask Him anything and everything she’s ever wanted to know. What Joy she is experiencing in His presence as the story of His love for each of us enfolds before her very eyes. We put on our BELIEVE T- shirts, carried up a stone bench, the solar light that our Uncle Rob fixed, and a ton of colorful cactus flowers, and scaled the hill to Brielle’s cross. As we were planting and listening to worship music, there were flocks of birds flying overhead. Jaden said, “Look the birds are going to a party for Brielle!” We hung a beautiful pink flower wreath with Brielles laminated picture hanging inside, on the cross and put a water proof box at the base with paper and pens for anyone that might spend time up there and wants to write a note to B or praise to the Lord.
We finished our day with a trip to Brielle’s favorite restaurant, Rockin Baja Lobster, took a walk on the same beach where I had seen the smiley face in the sand, and made our own Happy 14th Birthday drawing for our B. Thank you all so much for praying for comfort for our family. God continues to carry us minute by minute and is drawing us closer to Himself each day.
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Opportunities for Service:
There is so much to be done before and on the day of the event. Here are some ways you can join us if you would like to help:
1. Fresh baked goods donation- we need bakers! Delivery can be brought to Rose Drive Friends Church Plaza Room on Monday morning. There will be signs and people to direct you.
2. Cases of water bottles and bags of ice also delivered to Rose Drive Monday am.
3. Lunch and Snacks- sandwiches, chips, fruit and paper goods needed during daytime. Deliver Monday am. To Rose Drive Plaza Room
Dinner Delivery- we have approximately 50 volunteers who will be working from 12-8. We need salads, pizzas, casseroles, fruit, and paper goods. Contact Barb McDonnell at (714)272-2161
4. Balloon Blow up team- we need help on Monday morning from 8:30-10:30
5. Set up team- we have tons of posters we need help hanging, and tables to decorate on Sunday from 12:00-2:00
6. Face painting team- we would love to have people willing to face paint while children are waiting for their hair cuts.
Contact Lisa Murray at (714)323-6462, or reply to this email.
Thank you So much for being willing to help in any of these areas. As you can see we need lots of helping hands! Speaking of helping hands. If you would like to make a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation to Brielle’s Bedrooms ministry, we are so incredibly thankful for HELPING HEARTS FOR FRIENDS organization who have given us their help and ID # 20-4040087. Just write check out to Helping Hearts For Friends with the above number. We have been so blessed to hear there are individual families and organizations who would like to DONATE A BEDROOM FOR A CHILD. This is absolutely possible!!! We look forward to seeing you on February 6th!
God Bless- Jim, Lisa, Kylin, Jaden, and always, Brielle. xoxo
Monday, January 30, 2012