Little One

2007-08-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Please visit our website at www.godsmiracleofsebastian.com

You can read the book God's Miracle of Sebastian at no charge and hopefully be encouraged by our story.

Sebastian came to our home for the first time last week and I took him to our church one week ago today. He celebrated his first birthday in July.

How can I express how deeply humbled I am, how filled with joy and gratitude for you who have prayed for Little One or to our Saviour for His unending love and mercy.

2007-07-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

"God's Miracle of Sebastian" is a self published book the Lord has led me to write which chronicles His mighty miracle. Dearest Little One will soon celebrate his first birthday and we are humbled and thankful beyond words for His loving mercy to us.

Sebastian now sits up, drinks 8 ounces from a bottle, laughs, and even eats!He still wears his foot braces and oxygen at night. He no longer needs an NG tube.

We must tell of His great work!If you are interested in knowing more about the book or in receiving an electronic copy of it, please email me at

godsmiracleofsebastian@yahoo.com...

Of course, there is no cost. If you are interested in a hard cover copy, please let me know.

Please do continue to pray for our Little One as well as the many others who are in need of your prayers.

Please also pray for those parents whose Little Ones have gone on early to be with the Lord.

Your prayers mean more than we can ever tell you.

The cried to you and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2007-04-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

It is truly impossible for me to go to bed tonight without sharing this wonderful news.

The docs gave Rob and Taylor the ok to take Sebastian to church, so yesterday on Palm Sunday, precious Little One went to church for the first time. At a little over 8 months of age, he went to church with his Mommy and Daddy and brother!

Our omnipotent and loving Lord is truly mighty to save!

They cried to You and were saved. In You they trusted and were not disappointed.

I will praise Your name, O Lord!

2007-02-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

February 15, 2007

I have been unable to access the blog to keep you updated about Little One because I lost my password, but we cherish your continuing prayers.

God continues to bless dear little Sebastian. He still has a feeding tube and still is on oxygen and still has little boots on his feet. He continues to grow and continues to smile!
He has had two hospital stays and we pray for no more illness.

I have been away from him for two weeks but return soon and cannot wait to see him again!

God’s miracle of Sebastian affects me no less today. Soon it will be a year since the doctors gave a zero percent chance (as a recent email I reread from Rob stated).

Our most wonderful heavenly Father is in the business of miracles and in the business of building our faith.

Yesterday I read that early email from Rob in which he said the experts said there was basically a zero per cent chance for Little One. I also read our pastor’s response to a letter I had written asking his counsel on the counsel I was giving. He said, “and as you pointed out there is always the possibility of a miracle.”

I wept from deep within myself as I read those two phrases yesterday….zero per cent chance….the possibility of a miracle.

I turned on my CD and knelt as the choir sang:

O God our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne,
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure

My puppy dog Russell came to me as I sang with the choir. And he licked away my tears as they fell.

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disapp

2006-12-14T07:56:00.000-08:00

Praises be to our merciful God, precious little Sebastian was dismissed from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. They think he had pneumonia. Thanks so much for your continuing prayers for him and his health.

For those of you who are led, please pray for serious health matters facing two of our other family members.

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed

2006-12-10T03:44:00.000-08:00

This is the text message I received from Rob at 5 AM this morning. Please pray to our merciful and omnipotent Lord to heal our precious Little One…

“Sebastian had 103 temp at 1 this morning. Called the doc and she told us to go to Georgetown. I’ve been here since 2. They are admitting him at this time. His white blood cell count is 25000. 4000-10000 is normal”

They cried to you and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed

2006-11-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

I cannot go to sleep this nineteen week birthday of Sebastian’s without telling you what his three year old cousin said when he spent the night with us couple of weeks ago. The grandchildren call me C.C. and Nathan is thrilled when he can spend the night at C.C. s and of course she is too!

Nathan has not met his cousin yet and has only seen pictures of him and has heard stories. Mick has enlarged the picture that was on the last blog posting and has it hanging in our kitchen.

As Nathan looked at the picture this particular night, I could not imagine what he was thinking as he saw the tubes in the nose of his little cousin. He had a most interesting look on his face, one totally unfamiliar to me.

I looked at Nathan and explained that the reason for the yellow tube in Sebastian’s nose is that he cannot yet eat by himself so Rob and Taylor feed him through the tube.

Nathan’s gaze seemed more intense. I tried so hard to explain what he was seeing. How could his little mind comprehend this? Then I pointed out the additional tubes going into each of Sebastian’s nostrils and explained that he cannot yet breathe on his own so those tubes give him oxygen.

Nathan took a deep breath and looked up at me. Joy filled my soul when little three year old wisely said,

“But, he’s smiling, C.C.”

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed

2006-11-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

One pic is "Me and My Daddy's Shoe" the other is "Happy Baby" as Sebastian's brother calls him.

At the bottom of this insert I will cut and paste a copy of the story I wrote this week.

A typical day in the life of Sebastian consists of attempts every three hours to bottle feed or nurse followed by feedings through an NG tube. Each feeding lasts about an hour. From midnight until 6 AM he is on a continuous feed through his NG tube. We pray he will not have reflux and lose what he has taken in. He remains at a 45 degree angle during feedings.

Twice a day he receives breathing treatments with a nebulizer. Several times a day he receives other meds through his NG tube. His little boots are removed once a day for bath time only.

Twice a week a home nurse and a physical therapist come to the house. Once a week he goes to the pediatrician.

He is on oxygen in his room via a converter and via a tank when we take him downstairs or to appointments.

Tuesday at George Washington Hospital he had a repeat hearing test which, praise the Lord, was normal. Today he has a gastro test. It seems there will be tests and visits and outings and this and that for days to come. This month there will be a sleep apnea test and ortho visits and pulmonologist appointments.

Please, please continue to pray for this Little One! Pray for his parents and the professionals who see him and his big brother. Pray God’s angels will continue to protect him from Satan and danger and physical, emotional, spiritual and mental harm.

This verse was in his isolet and is now in his room…please pray it for him…

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with his love.
He will rejoice over you with singing.

They cried to you and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

Eight Months Ago Today
November 9, 2006

Eight months ago this very day my sister Kathy and I were sitting in my car visiting when my cell phone rang. You never know what the caller on the other end is going to say, but usually you expect some normal conversation. When you see caller ID flash the number on your phone you can imagine a category of subjects this caller might be calling you about.

But sometimes that is not the case. Sometimes the caller whose voice is so familiar to you has brief and heart rending news. Such was the case with this call.

It was Rob calling from DC to say Taylor is pregnant with their second child and there are serious problems. Maybe this Little One has no kidneys. Maybe he has one. There is little amniotic fluid which we learned is absolutely essential for the development of lungs.

That call came around noon on March 9, 2006.

The details of what took place between then and now are endless. Such would be the case in anyone’s life for eight months.

But these eight months have changed me forever.

Doctors gave no hope for life for this precious Little One. Many wanted to terminate the pregnancy.

Experimental procedures met with no success. Months of prayer and seeking our Lord’s mercy were all we had.

It was clear this decision was to be His.

And so we waited. Two simultaneous thoughts remained with us continually. The doctors giving no hope and our omnipotent and loving Lord’s mercy.

For one hundred and thirty six days we waited.

“Let all mortal flesh keep silent” was the song He led me to over and over. And we waited in quiet and in wonder and with hope and trust for what our Lord would do.

And more bad news came with each doctor’s appointment. But our Lord sustained us. We would feel Little One kick in his little room inside his Mommy. And we would see him on the ultrasound. And we would beg our God for mercy.

I suppose we would all say that miracles are all around us. The intricacies of a tiny leaf to a mighty thunder and lightning storm all are evidence of our Creators miraculous powers.

Hard as we try to explain the parts of a leaf and how it grows, we cannot make a leaf no matter how hard we try. I look at my little doggie at my feet right now. He has eyes and ears and an entire array of systems that make him be alive. He is a miracle of sorts.

Once I was driving across the state of Texas in a huge thunderstorm. Eighteen wheelers pulled over to the side. You could feel the highway shake with each roar of thunder. For me it was an awesome display by our mighty God that I have never forgotten.

Miracles do abound, there is no doubt.

My dictionary says a miracle is an event that appears unexplainable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God.

So if that is the case maybe a tiny leaf or a huge thunderstorm are miracles of a sort, but they can somewhat be explained by the laws of nature. That makes them no less awesome, but God has shown us explanations for those. We learned about photosynthesis and storms in our early science classes, so we think we understand thunderstorms and green leaves to the point of where we are not always awed by them.

However, I daresay if the waters of the Atlantic Ocean were to part, it would no doubt be breaking news on CNN and Fox. And if some wedding guest started turning water into wine, he would surely make an appearance on Larry King.

These things would surprise us because no early science class text book explained water changing into wine or oceans parting.

I have experienced many times in my life when I know God was compelling me to do something and I did it and because of His urging something ended up wonderfully. Maybe it would have anyway, I don’t know. I have experienced many times when the love He has for me and my loved ones and all His people just completely overwhelms me. I have experienced many times when the love and support of the body of believers has greatly humbled me. I could go on and on listing these types of occurrences in my life which are also miracles of a sort.

But this Miracle of Sebastian is unlike any I have seen.

Some have argued that the reason for Little One’s health is the excellent medical care Little One received after his birth. We are ever so thankful to each and every one that God continues to use in the life of our dear Little One.

But let there be no mistake: the miracle is the live birth of Little One.

The miracle is our God’s omnipotence in having this precious Little One enter our world crying, with lungs and pink in color….. and not as these most prestigious medical people said he would enter this world.

And so believers who see such miracles are changed forever.

I have joked that I feel like Martin Luther King when he said, “I have seen the promised land!” He said it with such conviction that when we heard him, we knew that he had indeed seen the Promised Land!

The Bible uses the word “miracle.” These particular occurrences are distinguished from other occurrences and are called miracles. The Bible does not speak of the miracle of the fig leaf or the miracle of the storm on the Sea of Galilee. The Bible speaks of miracles or mighty works like a staff turning into a snake, water turning into wine and the Red Sea parting.

These are unexplainable events, attributed solely to the mighty work of our Almighty God.

And I have seen a miracle! I have seen a real miracle, an unexplainable event. Praise God!

And this miracle is our grandson Sebastian, who is sixteen and one half weeks old!

After most of eight months I am now home from DC. After three months dearest Little One is now home from the hospital.

A child who was not to be born alive now thrives through the grace of our Lord.

I am deeply humbled beyond belief and touched to the very depths of my soul ….for we cried to Him and He answered us…we trusted in Him and He did not disappoint us. I can never thank Him enough or repay Him for His mighty deeds.

He is indeed mighty to save!

Our awesome Lord did what no doctor could do!

Our merciful Lord did what no experimental procedure could do!

Our loving Lord defied humans who gave no hope!

We see the miracle our Lord has performed! Let us joyfully praise God!

……the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen…….

2006-10-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

October 26, 2006 9:19PM

Many of you know that many years ago God led me to a method of having my quiet time that suits me so very well. First, I let Him know about all of my thoughts…my praises, my concerns, etc. Then I ask Him to lead me to two pages in His word that He wants me to read. This results in Him giving me the verse He wants me to have for that day.

What verse would He give me this day….this most long awaited and prayed for day? The early morning of this day that Little One would be dismissed from the hospital….three months after his birth, seven months after the news that he seemed to be in serious danger. What would our most merciful Lord say to me on this early morning of this long to be remembered day?

Then there is was in Malachi:

But for you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.

I thought of those words and I thought of dear Little One and his struggles. And I thought of the song I have sung to him every day I have seen him since he was born…..

Jesus loves you this I know
for the Bible tells me so.
Little Ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong

And my tears began to flow and could not be stopped.

In the midst of the hubbub of DC, when I left for the hospital, I heard a familiar tune on from a street corner saxophone player. Soon it came to me.
“Amazing grace how sweet the sound….

"Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures"

The day at the hospital was long. Much was to be learned and to be done. Oxygen and feeding and breathing treatments and monitors and so much more.

At last we drove home with Little One. When we arrived his brother Luke greeted him with a grin that would not stop!

And tonight a picture in my mind to cherish forever: his Mommy sat on the sofa in their living room and in her arms she held precious Little One.

Please continue to praise our mighty Lord for His mercy and love and ask for His continued protections from Satan and danger, physical, emotional, spiritual and mental harm for this precious Little One.
They cried to you and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-10-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

This past week Sebastian had his plaster casts removed and now has braces. It is a most humbling experience to see Little One go through so much and be so brave, sustained by the grace of our Lord. His feet are in little shoes with a metal bar about eight inches long from the sole of one shoe to the sole of the other. He wears them all of the time except for bath time. After the first twenty four hours, he seemed to adjust to them.

Yesterday I left DC for a few days and am now home. His eyes watched me as I left the unit. They are the same beautiful eyes as they were in the picture posted many weeks ago. If you saw the picture, you understand why I say his eyes express something I cannot describe. There is a depth to them that touches my innermost being. Such a merciful God who has saved him…. so many faithful prayer warriors…I remain overwhelmed.

Now for the news and the prayer requests….this precious miracle of our Lord’s is scheduled to be dismissed from the hospital Thursday. Please praise our loving Lord for there is no way to repay Him. He has been and continues to be with Sebastian. He has been and continues to be mighty to save. He takes great delight in Little One and quiets him with His love. He rejoices over him with singing.

Today Taylor found a verse I had given her when she first went on bedrest...please pray it for this time, for Little one and his family ......"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.'

Please pray He will keep His angels of protection around Little One now and in this move and always. Pray for all aspects of these days. Pray dear Sebastian will remain physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally healthy. Pray he will be kept safe from Satan and danger and physical and emotional, spiritual and mental harm. Pray he will grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man, that he will be a man after God’s own heart and that he will glorify Him all the days of his life.

Fourteen weeks ago today I saw God’s miracle that has changed my life forever. Please know how much your prayers and support continue to mean to all of us. Thank you.

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-10-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

Trying to update each week….

Today is my Mom’s (Sebastian’s great grandmother) 86th birthday! I talked with her this afternoon and she and my Dad who is 88 were looking forward to Kentucky Fried Chicken that husband Mick would be bringing for dinner. Your prayers would be appreciated for Dad who fell over the weekend and fractured some ribs.

Mick, my sister and brother in law and I all went to visit Sebastian Sunday night. Mick had not seen him since the week he was born and my sister and brother in law had not yet met this miracle of God’s. What a tender time to share…maybe I can hint here that she will write something I can post for you all to read

Yesterday Little One’s leg was horribly swollen and we rushed him to the other hospital to have one plaster cast removed. Tomorrow both casts are scheduled to be removed and replaced with the braces they think he may need for a couple of years.

He still on oxygen, but not as much as he was. He is eating about one fourth ounce from a bottle and the rest through a tube.

Please continue to pray for God’s protection from Satan and danger, physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental harm, as well as for all aspects of Sebastian’s legs and lungs and eating and health to be perfect. Please pray for all to have God’s wisdom regarding all aspects of Little One’s coming home which could be in the next couple of weeks.

Please continue to praise our loving and wonderful Lord for His merciful touch in all our lives and in the precious life of dear Little One.

Thank you for your continuing concern and prayers. We can never adequately thank you….

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-10-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday morning and twelve weeks ago this morning God’s miracle of Sebastian came into this world! Children truly are a gift from the Lord!

This past week adorable Little One was transported once more to another hospital to have a test to check on his swallowing. Such a brave soldier is he! He can suck about a half ounce from a bottle, so we are thanking the Lord for his ability to do that and praying for continued improvement. Never again will I observe a baby sucking from a bottle, then swallowing and breathing and not see it as an awesome event.

Next week this precious Little One goes again to another hospital and is scheduled to have his plaster casts which cover his legs replaced with a different type cast. Such a trooper he is as he lies on this big table surrounded by doctors! Please pray for each of these transfers and the details surrounding them. Never again will I observe precious little baby legs kicking and bending and not see it as an awesome event.

He is still on oxygen but the levels have been lowered. It seems likely that when he goes home he will be on oxygen and an NG feeding tube. I watched him have his tube replaced and remain in awe of all he has been through. Never again will I observe an infant without tubes in his nose and leads on his chests and not see it as an awesome picture to behold.

Please continue to praise our loving God for His miracle of Sebastian and ongoing His miraculous care of Him. Please continue to pray for His healing and protective hand to hold this child, as well as for His wisdom for caretakers in each detail of his care. Never will I look at this precious Little One and not see him and his life as a miracle from our loving and merciful Lord.

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-10-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

“You will know that I am the Lord…” Ezekiel 20:44

Repeatedly we see God’s almighty hand of protection in the precious life of dear Sebastian. As we all know, in hospitals errors abound. In compromised health situations all sorts of things can go wrong. As the weeks go on, we continue to see God’s omnipotent hand protect Little One.

Without going into details, suffice it to say that we thank you for your continuing prayers and earnestly ask that you continue them. Praise our mighty Lord for His loving mercy in this little life. Pray as you feel led regarding perfect hospital equipment and tests, etc. Continue to ask Him to protect Sebastian from Satan and danger and physical and emotional harm. Pray His angels will strengthen Sebastian and bring him to perfect health. Please continue to pray for Rob’s and Taylor’s wisdom, peace, and steadfastness, as well as for all who attend to this tiny baby.

Our almighty Lord has once more shown so clearly that He is the One Who holds Little One in His hands!

Eleven weeks ago today our holy Lord brought His miracle of Little One into the world!

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

(I am continuing to try to post each weekend.....)

2006-09-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

I came home Wednesday for a brief visit and am heading back to DC this evening. By the time I actually post this I hope to be in DC. (I am at 10:23pm)

Sebastian’s foot surgery went well. Thanks to our Lord for His protections and guidance and thanks to you for praying for dear Little One.

In the morning I plan to rush over to the hospital and lift this precious one up into my arms. As the song goes, the moments do seem like hours.

Amid oxygen and feeding and monitoring tubes and wires, I will sing to him and love him and pray for and with him. I will praise our Lord for him. I will watch his numbers on the monitors and I will hear news about him.

When I left him Wednesday, he was once again lying on the table at the same hospital where he had his surgery. His plaster casts had been sawed off and new ones were being made. This time he cried. He cried a lot. It seems good and bad to see him cry. Good in that he no longer likes being “accustomed” to such treatment. Bad in that, who likes to see a tiny one in such a situation?

Please continue to pray for his sucking and breathing and swallowing. Today Liz and I were at lunch and saw a tiny baby so effortlessly suck and breathe and swallow milk from a bottle. Pray for Sebastian's oxygen levels and his lungs to all be perfect. Pray for our Lord’s continuing healing touch upon every aspect of dear Sebastian’s being. And thank Him, thank Him, thank Him!

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-09-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

Please be praying for Little Sebastian this morning (10 in DC) as he is in the OR having surgery on his foot. Please pray our Almighty God will sustain him and give the doctors His skill and wisdom. Pray that every aspect will be perfect and successful and that there will be no complications, that he will be kept safe by our mighty Lord from Satan and danger, physical emotional and spiritual harm.

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-09-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. Psalm 9:10

I am sorry I have not posted in so long and will try to post at least each weekend. Much has been happening and time just seems to fly!

Tuesday Sebastian was transported to another hospital for his milk scan and a swallow test. They wanted to be sure fluid was not aspirating into his lungs and they wanted to determine if he has reflux. It was so incredible to watch this tiny Little One on a huge hospital bed with a huge machine hovering over him for an hour, to leave that area for two hours and return for the swallow test which involved much of the same for him. He did not cry. Again he seems so used to large machines, bright lights and strange people. After 6 hours we returned to the hospital where he has been since leaving Hopkins. We do not have the test results yet.

On Thursday he was once again transported to another hospital to have his plaster leg casts removed and replaced once more and to have a hip x-ray.

I left Wednesday for a brief visit to NC and returned this afternoon and went straight to the hospital. He woke up shortly after my arrival. I held him close and we just gazed into each others eyes as I whispered sweet nothings to this little gift from the Lord.

The original 4-6 week dismissal date projection is now at 1-3 weeks. He still has a feeding tube. Taylor is at the hospital right (910pm) now trying for the second time to get him to nurse. His feedings have been through the tube in his nose. They lowered the percent of oxygen today and we pray he will tolerate these changes. He has gained weight and now is over 7 pounds. He has fat cheeks!

Thank you for joining us as we continue to praise our most merciful and loving God for His miracle of Sebastian and pray His almighty and omnipotent hand will to continue to bring Little One to the excellent state of health our hearts desire.

They cried to You and were saved, in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-09-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2006
945pm

I arrived in DC a week ago tonight after not having seen Little One for two weeks and I plan to leave once again tomorrow and to return again Sunday. During this visit I have spent hours each day in the nursery holding him and singing to him and praying with him and lowly playing Christian lullaby music we played for him in the NICU. Sometimes he sleeps, sometimes he just looks deeply in my eyes, rarely he cries. But sometimes he smiles.

Sebastian is now six weeks old. The miracle of Sebastian is continually a part of me. I remain humbled and awed by God’s loving and merciful hand in Little One’s life.

Please continue to praise our Lord for him. Please pray doctors, nurses and others will all have God’s wisdom and vision in all areas of his care. He has plaster casts all the way from his toes to his hips. Tomorrow the plan is to saw these casts off and replace them with new ones. They are trying a special wedge bed today which keeps him at an angle to help his breathing rate which seems to often go to above 100 breaths per minute. Tomorrow they may also test him to see if he is having reflux problems. They are also trying to decide if splints or taping is best for his hands. He has been on antibiotics for suspected pneumonia and tomorrow they plan to x-ray for signs of improvement. He drinks about one ounce from a bottle and the rest is tube feeding.

Friday will be Sebastian’s actual 40 week mark, the time most consider babies to be full term. Some have said great strides take place at that point.

I am heading to sleep soon so I can get up and drive the forty minute drive to where Little One sleeps in the hospital. The verse above his bed reads….The Lord is with you, He is mighty to save, He takes great delight in you, He quiets you with His love, He rejoices over you with singing.

What a wonderful thought to fill our minds as we go to sleep……..

They cried to You and were saved, in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-08-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

August 30, 2006

If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord Who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways…

I am back in DC and spent much of the day at the hospital cradling dear little Sebastian in my arms. Taylor and I rode in a van with Sebastian and his nurse to meet Rob at Children’s Hospital to have new casts put on his little legs. Most likely tomorrow they will put new splints on his tiny hands. Today we were told it seems he has a little pneumonia in one lung so they have begun him on antibiotics. He remains on several medications, as well as oxygen and the feeding tube.

As he lay on the big table at Children’s Hospital and four medical people and his parents and I observed, we saw a most calm tiny bright eyed Little One, undisturbed by the bright lights and the taping of his legs. Maybe it was that he has grown accustomed to such. Maybe it was his Mommy holding his hand and his Daddy holding his hand gently on his little head. Maybe it was C.C.’s and others prayers.

Maybe it was His angels guarding him in all his ways….once again.

Please continue your prayers of thanks and protections to our loving Lord, our Most High, our refuge.

2006-08-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is a pic taken today of precious little Sebastian for whom you are praying.

He has ear and eye checks this upcoming week, as well as a doc appointment about his legs. As you can see he is still on oxygen and has a feeding tube in his nose.

But look at those eyes! Praise the Lord!

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed

2006-08-24T15:20:00.000-07:00

He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.

Sebastian was one month old yesterday and we are so thankful to our merciful Lord for this precious Little One!

At the family meeting today, Rob and Taylor learned Sebastian will be in the hospital another four to six weeks. His little lungs are progressing as if he were born at 24 weeks instead of 33 weeks.

His leg became swollen yesterday so they have removed his casts and now will wait until the sore on his foot heels before they can be replaced. They have another meeting scheduled for August 30 in which they will find out more about his little legs but for now they are making new splints for his hands and legs.

Please continue your prayers for Rob, Taylor, Luke and especially tiny Sebastian.

I read yesterday the verse about an angel appearing to strengthen Christ before He went to the cross. It is so reassuring and encouraging to be reminded that our loving Father is always there for us no matter how intense the trial may be.

Please thank God for His angels He sends to His people, as well as for the truth that He gathers the lambs and carries them close to His heart. Pray He will continue to bless Little One in every way, protecting him from Satan and danger and physical emotional spiritual and mental harm.

2006-08-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks once more to each of you who came to the prayer service for Sebastian, as well as to each of you who so faithfully continue to pray to our loving Lord for him.

Please pray for all aspects of the first family meeting which will be held this Thursday morning. Please pray for God’s wisdom for each person who has a role in this meeting and that Sebastian’s best interests will be served in every way. Please pray for him to be healthy in every sense of the word…for his lungs, for his eating, for every part of his little body and mind to develop and function perfectly.

Please pray for our omnipotent God’s continuing protections for this precious Little One…that he will be kept safe from Satan and danger, from physical, emotional, spiritual and mental harm.

Please continue to thank our merciful God for His blessings in Sebastian’s life and in each of our lives.

From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another….

As you may know by now I write little stories most Thursdays…below is the one from last Thursday

The Miracle of Sebastian
August 17, 2006

“…you seek Me , not because ye saw miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which the Son of God shall give unto you….”John 6:26

On March 9, 2006, Rob called to tell me Taylor was pregnant and simultaneously he told me of the serious problems with the pregnancy. There was little to no amniotic fluid, essential for lung development. There may be no kidneys. The disbelief and the hope hit me simultaneously.

Five months is not a long time in the grand scheme of things, but these past five months at this moment seem a very long time. Most of it I spent in DC or Baltimore trying to be Taylor, an impossible task. She was in bed for months and I tried to do many of her chores.

From the very beginning God gave me a verse, “They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.”

I clung to that verse, that promise, that reminder of His unfailing faithfulness these sixty years of my life.

But the storms were not to let up. We were told heart breaking stories about what this birthing would be like, all that would go wrong. Over and over the news was seldom good.

The hours and the days passed. One remedy after another was attempted. Innumerable phone calls to experts. Innumerable emails from others who had experienced similar situations. Innumerable internet searches and phone calls for experimental things being done in a situation like this. Travel to NYC and to Baltimore to correct this suggested by experts fatal for Little One situation.

Persevering parents and others who kept seeking ways to make this wrong right were held up by our omnipotent Lord.

And life went on as best it could in view of the unknown that could unfold at any moment. Memorial Day in DC with all the cousins and aunts and uncles and me and Mick in May was followed by June and Taylor’s birthday and Rob’s Father’s Day celebrations at the Four Seasons. Then July and Rob and 20 month old Luke held a fireworks display to the second floor bedroom window where Taylor lay. And her room was constantly filled with flowers. And Rob planted and tended the garden paradise he and God had created in their yard.

And they marched on. He would go to work. And she would work from bed. And I would get groceries and take Luke to the doc for checkups and do laundry.
And little was said about Little One who was constantly on our hearts and our minds and in our prayers.

Special diet and tons of water and bed rest for months and humor and church and books and movies and phone calls and rushing to the hospital over and over.

And prayer. Prayers from innumerable people to our omnipotent and merciful and loving Lord that He would have mercy and save Little One.

Such was life for a very long time.

Sometimes it seemed as though all was lost. One night in June around ten while Rob was out of town, Taylor and I rushed the hour drive to the hospital in Baltimore. I had spoken with her doc, who said they would probably take Little One. Taylor and one of the priests at her church were on the phone praying much of the long, quiet, dark drive there.

When we arrived at the hospital, we were taken to a hospital room. They were going to take Little One. They explained the procedure.

We knew it was too soon.

Even with the unbearable and unending words from the doc to Taylor as she lay in that bed without her husband at her side, the Lord gave me hope as I sat quietly and prayerfully in the chair in the corner of her room.

In time Rob was on the speaker of my cell phone. He heard some of the plan. He told the docs to wait until he returned. He tried to get flights but could not get in until around noon . They would wait as long as Taylor was not in danger.

Rob arrived with Luke and Luke and I left the room. Awful moments ensued that day. I stayed with Luke at the hospital and talked with loved ones on the phone who prayed through that time with me.

At one point the four of us were all standing in the hall, because a nurse decided not to let Luke return to the hospital room. There we were. Taylor in her hospital gown, me and Luke, Rob all standing in this hospital hall discussing whether to stay or to leave all knowing the implications of that decision.

It was an almost unbearable time. Luke and I left them. Prayers continued. Heartache continued.

Then Rob called. We are going home.

Our Lord’s hand moving.

In time the truth began to dawn on each of us. There was nothing to be done. The essential life giving waters seemed not to be there. They seemed not to remain no matter what was tried. This was not to be of man’s doing. This would be our almighty God’s doing.

Experts continued to tell us what to expect. My heart was heavy but God kept my hope steadfast. My merciful and loving dear Lord never had me lose hope.

But everyday, every moment He held me up by His hand. He gave me Scripture. He gave me dear family support and help unlike any I have ever experienced. He had loving friends call or send encouraging, hope-filled emails. We found our faith was encouraging others.

Then one night they rushed to the hospital once more and it was decided Taylor would remain.

I returned to DC that Saturday and about 11pm that night and Rob called and said it is time.

I drove in the rain to Baltimore, praying and calling on others for prayer. I arrived around the same time Rob and sleeping Luke did from the hotel. Rob left to be with his wife. Luke slept and I lay with him in his mommy’s hospital room praying and waiting and keeping others updated and seeking their prayer and seeking my Lord.

By 2AM Rob text messaged me saying Little One is being born right now.

The moments and hours that followed are still too overwhelming to think much about…..so for sure not to yet be written about.

All I can say is Rob came into the room where his sleeping eldest son and I were and said……….he came out crying, he is pink not blue.

Our Lord performed a miracle. I have walked though a miracle. I have held a miracle.

Weeks before dear Sebastian was born and about the same time the truth of what He was doing hit us all, the Lord gave me a verse that I wrote on a post it and carried around attached to my cell phone…

Then they will know that I am the Lord.

I am humbled beyond belief.

I am changed forever.

2006-08-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

Sebastian was moved today to HSC Pediatric Center in Washington DC and seems to be adjusting fine. Please thank our loving God for a good and safe transfer.

Please pray that those who assess him will have God’s wisdom knowing what steps to take and how long he should be there. Please pray that every aspect of his care will be perfect and that our merciful Lord will continue to protect him each moment from Satan, danger, physical, emotional, spiritual and mental harm. Please pray He will continue to command His angels of protection around dear little Sebastian, that he will grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Please pray for peace and wisdom for Rob and Taylor and Luke as they adjust to this new phase. Pray for all of us to have God’s spirit of unity.

Many days I send out a verse and brief prayer to a group of people. Yesterday’s verse was particularly appropriate for me in many ways because I was not yet ready for Little One to be moved from the protective and loving environment in which he has been.

….we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 21:13

Note from Matthew Henry....”In the turning of the hearts of our friends or ministers, this way or that way (and it may be quite another way than we would wish) we should eye the hand of God and submit to that.”

Lord, please help all Your people, including my loved ones and me, to seek Your will first for those we love as well as ourselves, even when circumstances may not be as we wish. In your Name Amen

2006-08-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

It is Wednesday about 8PM and I just talked with Taylor.

Sebastian will probably be moved to a step down unit in DC either today, tomorrow or Friday. Please pray for every aspect of that move to go perfectly. Traffic between Baltimore and DC can be awful or wonderful. Every detail of his oxygen, his care in the ambulance, his feeding, his dealing with the change, leaving his current situation and having new docs and nurses…whatever God leads you to pray about, please do.

Please pray for our omnipotent Lord’s hand of protection to remain with Little One.

Please also continue to thank our merciful and loving Lord for His miracle of Sebastian.

We do hope you can join us for the prayer service for Sebastian this Sunday at 2PC at 5pm.

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

2006-08-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

PRAYER TIME Second Pres Prayer room 4055 Poplar Avenue Memphis TN 5PM August 20, 2006…
Please email me at
susani97@midsouth.rr.com
if you can come.

(If you have not read last night’s blog, please do so….thanks)

From the beginning of this journey our merciful and loving God has given this verse from Psalm 22:5

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.

Then after a few weeks He gave me another verse that He had me know I would one day pray and claim. I have had it written in the front of my prayer journal for months….

It is Isaiah 25:9 Surely this is our God…we trusted in Him and He saved us.

Our omnipotent God has made it so clear that Sebastian’s birth is His doing. Docs at Johns Hopkins were ready to take him months ago. We tried everything we were told. Docs at NYU tried their procedure. NICU docs and others still said he would not live.

Only a few held out hope.

Over and over we heard, amniotic fluid is essential for lung development. There is no measurable fluid. He cannot live.

But on the Saturday that Taylor went into labor our loving Lord gave me this verse:

Ezekiel 47:11 ……….. the water from the sanctuary flows to them….

I have taken many seminary classes and I know there is huge danger in taking verses out of context, but I had chills over my entire body when I read that verse. I knew my God and King was speaking to me, reassuring me that He would provide the water that would be needed for these tiny lungs.

Then within hours these lungs…… that would not be there…. this baby who could not cry…this Little One cried……….

So please come join us in spirit or in body because

Surely this is our God…we trusted in Him and He saved us.

2006-08-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

It is Monday night and I am home. Daddy’s 88th was wonderful and his 82 year old brother who has the same birth date flew in from TX and they along with their 86 year old sister and my Mom and my aunt and me and my hub were all together Saturday night.

I have prayed many times that Sebastian would have a good long full life, maybe even live as long as my Daddy. He is now 3 weeks old!

Please praise the Lord for His continuing protections and mercies and love for precious Sebastian as big steps are about to take place.

Please pray that the casts on his legs may only need to be changed once more and that his legs will be fine. Please pray that he will continue to be able to eat from a bottle- he did very well today in his one feeding, but he still gets most nutrition from a tube into his little tummy. Please pray his lungs will develop and be healthy-he is still on oxygen and his saturation levels vary.

The docs hope to move him by ambulance this week to another hospital and out of intensive care. This is a big step. Please pray it will only happen if this is best for Sebastian and that he continues to be protected from Satan and danger and physical, emotional and mental harm.

It is so difficult to explain how little dear Sebastian has changed our lives forever. He has been through more than all of us put together and yet is so very tiny. I cannot describe to you the anguish I have seen on his little face….the bruises and injuries to his fragile body.

But our Lord’s touch in his little life and tiny body has touched our lives forever…. leaving us without words or even thoughts…..just so very humbled and so very thankful….…..in a way which once again makes me want to echo words of the hymn we sang at church yesterday….

“Let all mortal flesh keep silent………..ponder nothing earthly minded”

They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.