Dennis Rainey asks for prayer for his new baby granddaughter-Molly

As a part of our family, by either blood or the Spirit of God, we want to share some family news with you. Our extended family through ministry, FamilyLife, is in a collective state of sorrow as we have walked along Dennis and Barbara Rainey's granddaughters fight for life over the last 6 days. She is (or maybe has already) ready to meet God after a fight for life. Dennis sent us an email this morning that outlines the past few days and what they have all gone through. He asked us to pas this along to anyone who would pray for Rebecca and Jake Mutz, Molly-the little baby who is dying and the rest of the Rainey and Mutz families. So, as our extended family we are asking you to spend a few minutes if you will to offer up prayers to our great God who is teh ony real comforter in times like these. Thank you for being a part of our family and, therefore, being there to share these kinds of prayer requests with you.

When Prayer is all there is, It is enough
A Story and Prayer Request from Dennis Rainey

As the sun is coming out here in Colorado, and The Son will soon be welcoming home Rebecca and Jakes daughter, Molly. A gift, entrusted to them for 7 days, to be ushered home, undoubtedly by a band of the gentlest and mighty angels dispatched from the throne of God to carry her into the presence of The Savior.

What has been tough, is about to get much tougher. Pray for Rebecca and Jake and forward this email to anyone you know who will pray for them.

Our days here have been so full of the presence of God. Honoring Him for Molly Ann.

Friday morning she was born; she didn't cry for nearly 4' because she was suffering from congestive heart failure. Her mom held her only for seconds before she was whisked away to be placed on life support. We think her problem is a heart murmur. Oh how I wish that was all she had. She is rushed by ambulance to The Children's Hospital here in Aurora. We arrive that evening to hear Jake say she is going to need brain surgery. I am thinking, I wish it was a heart murmur.

Saturday was a day of testing, in more ways than one. She has x-rays, ultra-sound, and MRIs around 11. The radiologist makes a copy for Jake and me from her text book about the Vein of Galen. I go on line and find out that Molly is up against a serious abnormality in the middle of her brain that it is VERY rare and VERY destructive. Around 4 we are seated in a private room with a neurologist, cardiologist, neonatologist, and nurse giving us the news that over 50% of Molly's brain is permanently damaged and that the damage affects both halves of the brain. 10-15-20 dangerous surgeries, she MIGHT be able to have A FEW functions as a human being. (Later I talk to a friend who has been a neurologist for 30 years and he puts it in perspective-"In cases like Molly where there is so much brain damage, I have never seen a good outcome through surgery." Never is a strong word. Yet we hope and pray for a miracle-even today) It is as though this young couple have been hit by a truck, news beyond comprehension. Joy turns to mourning.

In other words, it would take a miracle for Molly to live.

Sunday Jake's parents, Bill and Pam Mutz, arrive along with some of their family. Laura flies in from DC, Samuel and Stephanie and their three children fly in from Seattle, Ashley flies in from Memphis where she was on vacation with her husband and 5 sons and Ben and Marsha Kay come to the hospital. Rebecca and Jake want to introduce their new daughter to each family member. Many come and kneel at Rebecca's feet and just sob. When a family is being a family it is powerful. Worshipful. God honoring.

Jake and Rebecca spend a good bit of Sunday and Monday praying, talking, seeking second opinions trying to decide what is God's will for Molly; what is the loving thing to do?

Monday we surround Molly and have a baby dedication, read Scripture, pray and sing a couple of songs. More than a dozen of us weep our way through the familiar hymn:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Again many of us kneel at Rebecca's feet as she hold's little Molly in her arms teethered to life support tubes.

Monday night Bill and Pam Mutz and Barbara and I witness the unimaginable-we sit in a hospital room as Jake hold's Molly, listening for over 2 hours as Jake and Rebecca process their choices. God is God, but it's impossible to NOT feel, this just shouldn't be. What a choice for a young couple to have to make. They decide to not pursue the several very dangerous and complex brain surgeries and remove life support later in the week.

Tuesday, honestly, I don't know what happened to Tuesday. But I do know that if love could heal, Molly would be well. Instead, we can all see Molly's little chest pounding, her heart beating faster and faster, trying to keep up with what she needs to live. 60-80% of her blood is going to her brain when it should be 10-15%.

I do know that Wednesday was an incredible day. Videoing, picture taking, making a mold of Molly's hands, Rebecca and Jake holding Molly still teethered by life support tubes. Rebecca and the mom's giving Molly her first, and only bath, washing her hair. Stroking her little naked body. This is not what this young mother expected. Doing footprints and hand prints. Ask me to show you my bible and I'll show you her footprints all over Psalm 127 and 128, and her handprint on my life verse, Psalm 112:1-2; Her life may have been short in terms of days, but her life has been mighty. Mighty Molly Mutz.

Wednesday closed out with this email at midnight from Jake, on the close of the last full day that Molly will likely live:

I just got done holding Molly chest-to-chest for the last 3.5 hours! Heavenly! I could feel her beating heart on my bare chest! 2569 kisses later I relinquished her to Mom.

She is an Angel!!!!

Now Rebecca is experiencing this delight! I just looked over at Bec & she nodded, as if to say - I WILL be sleeping here with my Sweet Pea for the next 12 hours!

We love you guys!
Jake & Rebecca
And now today. Molly's coronation day. Read Ecclesiastes 7:1-4. This morning we will all say goodby one by one and then leave Rebecca and Jake to spend the afternoon with her. She is expected to live only a few minutes after being taken off all life support machines later on this afternoon.

Pray for Jake and Rebecca today.
And for the Mutz family and ours.
Our hearts are breaking.

You are loved and appreciated,
Molly's Papa
Ps 112:1-2
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Jesus told his disciples and, therefore, those who follow as disciples today, "In this world you will have trouble. But, take heart for I have overcome the world." There is a day coming when the pain and sorrow will cease.

Just as Steve Curtis Chapman and his family dealt with the tragic accidental death of their little daughter, Maria and as the Rainey's and Mutz' face this storm of life, you might be facing something that is just as real in your life. The only hope we have in this world is that this isn't all there is. If it was, these situations would seem hopeless. And yet, our hope is in the world yet to come. Until that day when Jesus comes back, we will have trouble. If you want to know how you can have peace in the midst of storms in this life, click here.

Please pray for the Rainey and Mutz family. Not just today but over the next few days and weeks as God brings them to mind. They will need the power of a loving God to provide them comfort during times of sadness and sorrow, especially in the coming days and weeks. Thank you for being Christ "with skin on".

Another Arrow from the Quiver

Summit Church was filled to capacity. Parents, grandparents friends and family gathered to watch 67 young adults culminate 18 years of academic advancement in a wonderful and spirited Home Educated graduation ceremony.

Having a last name of Abramovitz has always lent itself to either being first or near the beginning (or sometimes near the end when someone elected to reverse the order of activity) whenever it was time to participate in presentations, receive seat assignments or stand still while receiving shots in the nurses office. And so it was on Saturday, May 10. Erin was the first to receive her degree. And, Sue and I handed it to her. In a strange but enjoyable twist on the traditional orderly and somewhat pompous ceremony conducted in virtually every major public or private high school in the country, we actively participated in our daughters graduation. It was fun.

As an aside, what made it even more fun was that some of our family was able to join us for the celebration. In a day of escalating gas prices, family commitments and life challenges, we appreciated the sacrifices that Sue's mom & dad, her sister and brother in-law and my dad made to attend. More importantly, Erin was honored by their presence.

Well, when they announced Erin's name and said who was responsible for raising this wonderful, beautiful, intelligent young woman (OK...just they just announced our names -- you could insert the words "despite her parents efforts" here) Sue and I stood up, walked up three or four stairs and met her in the middle of the stage. Then, she handed her mother a flower, we handed her the diploma, we hugged and went to have our picture taken. Very nice touch. Kudos to the Greater Little Rock Home Educators for providing a very enjoyable and meaningful celebration for graduation.

So, our second of three arrows has now been officially launched from our quiver into the great unknown called "life". She'll be home through the summer while she works and gets ready for college life. She'll be attending John Brown University in Siloam Springs with her brother Bryan (who will be a junior this coming fall).

She has been such a joy as our daughter and in our home and I wrote the following words in our latest family newsletter about the experience of sending our second child into the next phase of their life adventure:

"When we went through this two years ago with Bryan (going through all the graduation ceremony) it was new for us. The unfamiliarity coupled with the upcoming sense of change in our family made it difficult to adjust. I sense that we will adjust better to the change in our family when Erin leaves the nest but we will miss her just as much. It doesn't get easier, no matter how familiar you are with the process.

Sunday, our church's Youth Pastor, Brandon Bernard, spoke during our worship service as part of a church-wide celebration of all the graduating seniors. He started off by showing us two different sizes of shoes. The first was an adult sized tennis shoe which he compared to the senior class. "Seniors, this shoe represents you and the fact that you are walking into the next part of your journey." he stated. "This shoe (holding up a very small children's shoe) represents where your parents are right now." he continued. You could almost hear the tears well up in eyes around the church as he hit on the difference between how we as parents reminisce about our children growing up and how they view the same process eagerly anticipating the future.

It seems like yesterday that I was swinging Erin in my arms, cuddling with her on my chest, or standing over her while she slept so peacefully in her crib. In preparation of putting a video presentation together for her, we've combed through hundreds of photos. It's in that process that I'm brought back in time to her years of growing up. There were pictures of our trip to Disneyland when she was 5 and could barely see above the mechanical cup and saucer she was riding. I remember her little lisp that has been corrected through time and braces. I recall a very dirty "purr-kitty" that she dragged with her wherever she went. I remember praying on my knees for her and my other two children every morning before I went to work. I prayed that she would be a woman that pursued God with an unabashed passion and that God would bring a similarly minded and passionate man (not too soon) as her husband. Well, she is becoming the former and we are not too eagerly waiting on the latter :-).

As I lovingly viewed those old photographs in contrast to the more recent digital pictures I saw my little Erin mature into a beautiful, godly woman over a few hours. What has taken 18 years to occur seemed like it happened overnight. Now she is getting ready to finish her time in high school, enjoy her last summer before college and then link arms with her brother as they head up to John Brown University this August. Bryan will be a Junior when they start up for the 2008-09 school year.

There are times during the course of raising your children where you wonder as a parent if you did all you could do to prepare them for the reality of the world's harshness. Then, every once in a while you hear them say something or see them do something that gives you a glimpse that maybe some of the effort won't be in vain.

Erin really wanted to attend a private school in Minnesota. However, after receiving the financial package from them, it was apparent that it would create a financial hardship for her to go to Northwestern College. Thankfully, God provided enough scholarship funds from John Brown that she saw that as His guidance. Though it may not have been her first choice, it was a good alternative. She had told us she wanted to go into sports broadcasting and potentially be an on-the-field reporter (we laughed at the thought of a petite 5' 1" woman interviewing a 6' 7" defensive lineman). However, as she went through the year she began to sense that God was changing her direction and she is now going to pursue a counseling degree, at least initially. When I asked her why she changed her mind, her response was one of those glimpses that some of what we said stuck with her. She said that as a sports broadcaster she would likely be traveling a lot and it would be very demanding. Though a counseling career may also be demanding, it would be much easier to be a "stay at home" mom coming from that career than from a sports broadcasting position. My little girl is growing up.

This year Erin has volunteered as a Big Sister to a second grade young girl. She has worked as a volunteer at FamilyLife in the Broadcast area for credit. She has been instrumental in starting a bible study with some of her friends and she taught a Sunday School class to 2nd grade girls. My little Er-Sue is growing up.

There will be many more tears shed between now (even as I'm writing this) and when we drop her off at John Brown in August. She's ready. We're ready. It's not easy but it's time. Time to fly, Erin. We will miss you around the house everyday. We love you very much."

Though I walk through the shadows of the Death Valley...I will fear no evil

Well, I am approaching the eve of a trip that I can honestly say I never thought, dreamed or even wanted to take.  A friend of mine approached me about 6 months ago with the thought of going to hike and 4WD in Death Valley for 8 days.  I have only been camping overnight probably three or four times in my life.  So, it was a quick "no thanks".  But he is a persuasive one and when he and another friend generously offered to help with expenses, my last (and, quite frankly bullet proof, or so I thought) excuse was vaporized.  So, the words that came out weren't "no thanks" but "sure, why not?"  Very un-Jeff like.  Well, those months have passed and tomorrow I fly out from Little Rock using the last of my frequent flyer miles to meet the "posse" and drive from Las Vegas to Death Valley to begin our adventure.  I'm praying that the use of the remaining frequent flier miles isn't an omen on ever needing them again :-).  Oh, I trust my friends.  But, I'm not sure I trust myself.

Unfortunately, the only real trouble with the timing of the trip is that it falls so close to our daughters graduation and preparation has begun (you know the drill--addressing graduation announcements, getting dresses for prom, signing up for all the graduation related activities, arranging family visits, etc).  So, my lovely and talented wife Sue will be doing a lot of it without my help.  Sorry, honey.

Well, in a few hours I'll be off.  I'll let you know how it goes IF I return :-).  I will have some pix, some video and maybe even a story or two.  Until I return...

Solia Deo Gloria

The More they Change--the More they Stay the Same

We've all seen the stereotypical scene...a family sits down to watch old homemade videos of family gatherings.  All you get is minutes of Uncle Harry snoring or minutes of someone swinging.  

As we get ready to launch our second child from the quiver, we are gathering up all the pictures and videos so that we can do what everyone else is doing...put together a video CD with clips and pics of OUR GIRL.  When you watch those family videos a few years after you shoot them, they are cute but there isn't much to see.  And, you lose interest pretty quickly.  And, I have to admit, I'm not the best videographer in the world.  I confess that I would have taken those shots of Uncle Harry snoring or a seemingly endless amount of time looking at one of our children in a car seat doing absolutely nothing.  Of no interest to anyone---including me.  

So, last night we are sitting around and going through some of the videos of the family.  Whereas maybe there isn't a lot to viewing those a couple years old, it's kind of fun to watch 14 year old videos to see and remember what the kids were like way back when (and to see that I actually only had one chin and could wear tight fitting shirts---and snicker at some of the hair styles my beautiful wife employed---can't believe I let her get it cut like some of the styles she had but what could I do?  That's one of the most dangerous questions husbands get---"How do you like my hair"----STAY AWAY from that one....you can't win.)  Anyway, as we're watching them, my graduating daughter is actually analyzing what's going on in the videos. 

There was a great scene where our youngest is sitting on the bed reading a bible story book.  She has a grumpy look on her face for some reason.  Erin, our older daughter comes in (she's about 5 and Jaclyn is about 3) and goes up to her and gives her a kiss.  Not once.  Not twice.  But four times.  We are all saying, "Oh, how cute".  Then, Jaclyn makes a kind of grunting noise and with the force of Muhammad Ali, shoves Erin away and says "Doooonnnn't".   We all chuckle at the cuteness of that moment some 13 years ago.  But, the now older Erin doesn't think it's quite so cute.  Instead she makes a comment that "some things never change".  

It is kind of fun to look back and to see that there are certain characteristics that are imprinted on each of us and it doesn't matter if we 5 or 55 we will respond to something the same way.  I think it will be interesting over the next 10-15 years as a whole generation who have grown up with video cameras being as much a part of the home as microwaves were after being introduced when I was a kid.  Pretty soon they are just a part of the everyday living.  And, for most of our homes with those video cameras, I have a sense that there will be much more analysis of why Chucky is the way he is today or why Jimmy and Sally never have gotten along.  Too many "tongues' being stuck out at each other or why Heather is always fussy about food after seeing her always eating a PB&J sandwich in the video clips.  Most of all, what they'll probably reveal is that as much as things change, many things are still the same--at 3, 33 or 83.