Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Enjoying our Baby

Today has been another excellent day. Although there is no new good news today from the doctors, it is becoming very apparent to Kristal and I that he is continuing to progress. First of all, his skin tone is getting much better. He was sort of swollen and red when he first got to the hospital. His skin has been getting better everyday, but it was noticably better today. He is also making many more baby sounds. Another thing that is really exciting is that he will follow your face when you talk to him. He is getting much better at focusing. Everything little thing is a blessing from the Lord. I wish yall could see the immense difference between Baby James today as opposed to Baby James on the day of his birth. The nurse told us that she only needed to suction his throat one time today. This is great news because just two days ago he was in need of suction at least twice an hour. Of course, this means that he is getting much much better at swallowing. He is still not gagging like they want him to and he is not sucking like they want him to. These two things are really the most important things that you can be praying about right now. His lack of ability to gag and suck is what is keeping him from being able to eat through his mouth, therefore he is still on a feeding tube. Please do not stop praying for our little guy with a fervent spirit. Surely our baby seems to be out of the woods in regard to whether he is going to live or not (and we thank God for this), but imagine never being able to eat through your mouth. If he cannot learn to gag or suck and swallow (better) then he will have to have a g tube placed in his belly. Pretty much a g-tube is a tube they surgically place in his belly and we feed him through the tube rather than him eating his food. Not life or death, but miserable vs unmiserable for the rest of his life. So please please do not stop praying for him with extreme passion. Our God is a great God and he loves to show Himself mighty to answer prayer. Please pray that his brain injury would continue to heal and that God would supernaturally grant Baby James the ability to gag, suck and swallow. We truly do covet your prayer. And we truly do thank you for your prayers. Thank you so much for being faithful. One more thing, the doctors are going to be doing some more tests on him to see if his problems have to do body chemestry. They are going to be doing another MRI test, some blood tests, and some other tests to look for extremely rare desieses and metabolic problems. Please be praying that these tests bring us encouraging and positive news. Thanks. Also be praying that Kristal would continue to heal. She is very uncomfortable and sore.

Because of Baby James' tramatic birth, Ihave not had opportunity to celebrate my new status as a father. Usually when a baby is born the dad jumps up and down and cannot control his excitment. He goes over to his baby with shakey hands to cut the umbilical cord. However, When Baby James was born I stood up to cut his umbilical cord but was too slow, because he came out not breathing and they had to rush him to the surgery table and therefore clipped it for me. Rather than being excited and pumped up I was worried and nervous. We, along with the doctor's and nurses, thought we were going to lose our baby. Well, the Lord today sort of made up for it. I am not sure if you know what Kangarooing is. But I kangarooed him today. Kangarooing is where you take your shirt off and they put the baby on your chest. He was sleeping when the put him on my chest. When they put him on my chest I got out my Bible and read to him. I read John Chapters 1-7. Whenever I would stop reading to turn the page he would get all squirmmy and would get irratated. But once I started reading again he would go back to sleep. This time with him was so stinking cool. I want to share with you one of the wonderful things I read to him while he was on my chest. I could and probably will put some more of the verses that stuck out to me as I read to him, but for now I will only put one. I do feel bad because I read to him out of the ESV rather than the NASB--I hope it doesn't cause him troubles later in life--just kidding--sort of.

One verse that really stuck out was John 3:16. We all know it. But think with me for a moment. Many people have a hard time accepting the fact that God is in control at times like this. They love the verse in Job where he confessess that "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord," but they do not realize why Job said this. Job said this because God took away his entire family and property. Literally his whole family (except his wife) died. What was Jobs response in Chapter 2? "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." You see, God is the giver and taker of life. After Job said this, God pretty much said that Job was right in saying this when he said, "In all of this Job did not sin with his lips." Many people have a hard time with this because they wonder how a God who is infinitely loving could not just allow, but cause something like this to happen. How could a loving God not just allow the death of a man's whole family, but actually cause it? Well, I am not going to solve that mystery for you and no one probably ever will. However, one of the things that has helped me deal with this mystery is in knowing that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son." You see, God does not take human life for kicks and giggles. God gave the His own Son over to death for the sake of our souls. Whatever circumstances you have been through you can be assured of one thing--God put CHrist through much much worse circumstances. Job's crisis, as bad as it was, does not even compare to the horror and pain of the cross. How can a loving God send people to hell for an eternity? Well, He does not send people to hell for an eternity without taking it Himself on the cross. Do not be afraid of losing the doctrine of the love of God by embracing the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God over ALL things. For those things that He puts us through He put himself through.

10 comments:

pfbuckley@gmail.com said...

Jimmy - excellent post! We are praying for you guys.

God is so infinitely wise and infinitely good that he is fully trustworthy even when he ordains tragedy. The cross has indeed made that vividly clear.

May the trustworthiness, justice, wisdom & love - all the glory of God revealed in the cross be overwhelming encouragement for you guys. May God the Holy Spirit give you fresh encounters with Him in these truths and use you as a light to many others. And may God continue to heal baby James.

We are praying for you all!

Love, Paul & Peg & the King of Grace Family.

Luke said...

Jimmy,

Thanks for your meditation on the love of God. As I was reading it Isaiah 53:10 came to mind..."It was the will of the Lord to crush him..." The thought that came to mind was, 'God was more pleased to crush Christ on the cross than to crush us eternally in hell.' This is how Paul could have the perspective he did in Romans 8:18, "For I consider the sufferrings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

As with you, I am not sure of the secret counsels of God to ordain that which is horrid in this life. However, I, with the Apostle Paul, can see these sufferrings of this present time WORTH it because it was God's will to crush Christ so that on the other side of these sufferrings eternal sweetness in Christ's presence will satisfy our souls to overflowing.

I trust the Lord will let you hear of great things regarding Jimmy's EEG and MRI.

Blessings,

Luke

Anonymous said...

Amen, Jimmy Snow. Who knew I would have to go to Sin City to learn that truth which has set me free to really know the trueness of the love of God!?! It is so much deeper and wider and higher than I had ever known before.
As I read your previous entry about those caring for your son being more in need of a doctor than him, I was reminded of that sermon Piper preached about Boasting in the Cross. In it, if you recall, he read about 2 missionary ladies who accidentally drove off a cliff and died. He asked if this was a tragedy. Then he read in the newspaper about that couple in FL who collected shells (I am laughing as I recall his voice saying, 'Look God! Here's my shell collection!').
I have been praying that Baby James' fragile life right now would be the bridge for you and Krystal to show Christ and His character to those caretakers, so that they would, today, they would look down and see their boils be unable to deny them any longer.

Krystal, I am praying for you in a special way, remembering some of the feelings you may have right now. I too, with Katie, am praying for James to be eager to nurse. I am also praying for you that if God sees fit not to see that through, that you would not feel any less like a true mother. You are a mother because the creator God ordained you to be a mother - not because of your ability to nurse. However, I am still praying that this would be the outcome of your precious baby's progress and that it will create between the two of you a lasting bond of trust.
We love you all and are praying, along with all our church, for your sustainment and the furtherence of God's glory! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
- In Christ Alone,
Spencer and Jessy

Anonymous said...

Jimmy and Kristal: I enjoyed reading your blog today. I've been getting all of my information from your mom and just passing it along to anyone I can think of. Prayers have been running rampant across Illinois and I can see that it is working for that sweet little great nephew of mine!
Please know that the great Lord will take care of Baby James as well as you and Kristal. We are never handed anything that we cannot take care of. I myself have had to learn this and I do honestly believe it. You will be able to handle whatever comes your way because of the strength that the three of you have in the Lord as well as in each other.
We will continue our prayers for the little guy as well as for his mommy and daddy.
I am here if you need me!!! Aunt Ellie

Anonymous said...

Jimmy and Kristal,
I love reading your blog and to hear that you are more positive than a week ago. Baby James looks so good now, and I keep praying for all of you. I just know that our Lord will keep making him stronger and stronger each day. There has been so much progress that it's obvious that He's at work here. Maybe to give all of us the chance to rethink our own faith. I know that you both have helped me with mine. I don't understand how these things happen but now I can accept it and deal with it. I remember when you were a baby Jimmy, and we all took you so for granted. What a mistake that was, look what you have become. I smile with pride and love when I see your beautiful pictures with the baby and the ones of Kristal too. She is truly a wonderful girl. God bless you guys and know that I am praying without ceasing for you all, especially Baby James. Each day is a new day, and tomorrow will be filled with more love and more progress, I just know it.
Love
Gramma Harky

Anonymous said...

Jimmy and Kristal,
This entry brought me to tears of complete joy--for James's progress, for the Lord's mercy and grace, and for the flourishing of YOUR faith at what could be a wavering time, short of obedience to the Lord. Please know that thousands of your family in Christ pray and inquire for James and you several times per day. Thank you for the testimony of kangarooing and scriptures. You ARE teaching your son well and I believe that will reach him, even in his infancy, and stay with him. Love to all of you. I just can't wait to see him! The Lord hears his name before Him many times per day, and that will continue. The praises are a joy to share too!
Love,
Kathy (Bacon) and family

Katie said...

Hi Jimmy & Kristal. Each time I read about your faith and trust in the Lord, I am spurred on to trust the Lord even more. Thank you for your loud testimony that the Gospel is real. Only lives transformed by the Gospel can respond in such humble and passionate faith in God's sovereign goodness amidst suffering. Thank you!

Kristal, I heard a rumor that you're not napping much because you desire to be with the baby as much as possible. I want to encourage you for the excellent mom that you are seeking to be. The Lord has truly given you a heart to love and sacrifice for His child. Still, don't forget that one of the best ways that you can serve your husband and your baby is to rest up so that your body can be strengthened to care for them. Though I was not in your painful situation, I definitely had to force myself to nap (or rather, Josh had to help me there). My hubby often reminded me that the Lord created my body to need physical rest to help me heal and it would truly serve my husband and baby for me to get that rest when I'm able so that I could be stronger to love and care for them. I am praying that you would make rest a priority so that you can also prioritize caring for baby James and Jimmy.

Guys, your son is just so handsome. We are praying today that the Lord might make sucking and swallowing just second nature to him, as if it were never even a question. God is so mighty and able to do more than we ask or imagine!

Love you guys! Katie Fenska

Katie said...

p.s.- Kristal, I just realized that I may have come across as bossy and uncaring there. I am sorry. Basically, I just wanted you to know that my heart goes out to you as you discern how much rest you need. Sorry, dear!

Anonymous said...

Dear Jimmy and Kristal,
I just re-read your blogs and was once again inspired by you both. The Lord certainly knew what he was doing when he gave little James to you two. He knew that you were the kind of parents he would need and saw to it that only you guys could have him. I remember when my nephew Ron was born with Spina-Bifida his parents, my brother Tom and wife, said they understood why they were given Ron. It was for the very same reasons. What a testimony. Altho' James problems in no way are the same as Ron's, the situation is. I'm so glad that our families are as faithful as we are, it has sure made this easier for all of us too. I know in my heart that James will overcome all these hurdles he's been facing, because of our wondrous Father and His love for all of us. Thank you for giving me the strength I need too, and please know that I'm always here for you and love you all very much.
Gramma Harky

Anonymous said...

Hello My lovely Snowdens...Just wanted to wish you all a blessed day. Again...I am so unbelievably happy (though not at all surprised...God always goes above and beyond anything I can ever imagine) for baby James' progress...what a blessing.

Love you guys!
Love, The Matheis'

Ps...KANGAROO CARE WAS MY MOST FAVORITE THING!