Wednesday, September 1, 2021

16.

 

Happy heavenly sweet 16, dear Kyrie!

Sixteen.

Six. Teen.

Driving. Laughing. Singing. Dancing. I won’t mention dating because your parents—and me—would flip out. ;) High school would be in full swing for you. Homecoming would be just around the corner, and I can only imagine you, your mama and little sister choosing an outfit for the dance.

I remember on the last night I saw you, your dad poured out a letter, and in it, he mentioned that he wouldn’t get to teach you to drive, and you’d never go to a high school prom. Both of those things would be on the radar right now for you family, if you were still earthside. 

It’s easy to think about what might have been, especially as these years pass and as milestones come & go for your peers. It’s easy to feel the compounded loss of your physical presence. But it’s also easy to still love you, still know that you are part of this family, still know that your life matters, both here and there, to know that in Christ, there are no goodbyes. This was the promise from the very beginning. His love is our love, and that is still very much alive and well.

So we celebrate the wonderfully made human that God sent your mom and dad 16 years ago. 

Grateful for every day you were with us. 

Happy, happy earthly birthday, sweet girl!




Wednesday, April 7, 2021

The Day the Angels Came

The Day the Angels Came
a grandpa's prayer and poem for Kyrie Dawn

Wednesday, April 4, the day we heard of the explosive growth of the tumors

Alas! O, Lord what is it that I hear?
Is it Your angels coming for our Kyrie Dawn?
O, please Lord, keep them at bay--
If just for one more day.

Thursday, April 5, Holy Thursday

O, Lord, what is this I hear?
Is it that You need another little angel to be near?
O, please Lord, please Lord, don't take our Kyrie dear.
Could You please keep Your angels away,
and we could have her just one more day?

Friday, April 6, Good Friday

O, precious, sweet Jesus, is this the day?
No, no, dear Lord, not today--
This is Your day that You died to save.
Again, please Dear God, let us be selfish
and keep sweet Kyrie another day.

Saturday, April 7, Holy Saturday Easter Vigil

Thank you dear God in heaven
for yet another precious day--
For we all know things will be done your way.
Little Kyrie Dawn is fighting so very hard--
Yesterday she three her ball three times
till her tiny arm got tired.

Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love entrusts her here,
Ever this day be at her side
To light, to guard, to rule to guide. Amen.

Sunday, April 8, Easter Sunday

Dear God in Heaven, Your angels came last night,
As we all knew that someday they might.
They came around the hour of seven
to take our precious one to her
special place in heaven.
Sweet Jesus, we know that you, too, love the little ones,
so to You we give You our little Kyrie Dawn--
And in the end, it is always Your will that will be done.

Amen.

Love,
Papa

originally published April 7, 2007