On the Day She Died

I have a Christian sister and friend who lost her baby recently. Her unborn child seemed normal and growing steadily until a routine exam revealed that baby "Ellie", as she was affectionately named, had a condition where her upper cranial bones did not develop thus leaving her brain tissue exposed. The doctors delicately said that this condition was "incompatible with life", and Lindsay, along with her husband PJ, had two options; terminate the pregnancy immediately or carry the baby to full term whereupon she would survive only for a short time after her birth.

Because the baby was developing normally in every other way and not experiencing any pain so long as she was in the safety of her mother's womb, Lindsay chose to carry and experience her baby's presence for as long as God would sustain her life.

So, Ellie made her presence known with her constant movement in her mom's belly to the bittersweet delight of her parents, big sister Charley, family and the growing number of people who were following her abbreviated life journey.

She was born on July 7, 2021 at 11:01 am, and after opening her eyes to the wonder of being lovingly held by every member of her family, she passed from this world on July 7, 2021 at 12:03 pm after a fleeting 62 minutes of life. On the day she died, three things happened:

1. She left her family with a lifetime of love unspent.

How wonderful are God's ways in that through personal tragedies of unbearable loss, He equips us to be better people. To those she left behind, Ellie gave the power to bless others with all the anticipated love they were anxious to spend on her.

2. She helped create a saint.

They say that all mothers should be candidates for sainthood, and in most instances, I agree. However, in Lindsay's case, the Lord has bestowed a beatitude on her that glows softly in the harsh light of this world's reality and warms the heart in the face of the cold truth that she has had to face. Because of her actions and decisions concerning Ellie, she will always be a daughter of light no matter what happens next in her life.

3. With her short presence among us, Ellie has demonstrated the power of life over the power of death.

With her brief 62 minutes of existence, she has motivated the people around her to live their best lives more effectively than any inspirational movie or motivational speaker ever could. In thinking of her in the future, those who knew Ellie will say, she had a blessed life and people loved her. She made a definite difference and left her mark on the world.

So, rest in peace little firefly, we will catch up to you one day soon in heaven.