Lil Slide Show

Here is a little slide show we put together for Luke's Family Reunion, since we were unable to attend. Thought you might enjoy it too.

On a side note, CC got her very first pair of Crocs today! Purple, Aunt Sherri you're going to love them! We are big Croc fans here at the Davis house (except Luke =). Braet has two pairs since we lost one pair for a few months at Brett's, it was a must to purchase another before going to Disney. Micah loves his orange crocs, I think they became his "trademark" so to speak. Now if we can just work on Dadda!

The Weekend

Deut. 33:26-27

“There is none like God, who rides through the heavens to your help,

through the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

We don't know what tomorrow holds, but it was a blessed weekend!

We are truly amazed, mercies new each morning... We thought our lil mans smiles and sweet voice would just be our memories seeing as we hadn't seen or heard either for a number of days. However, on Friday he began to laugh and speak faintly, it continued all weekend. Even though today was harder and our big boy's smiles ceased~ what precious times we had! Laughing at Luke & CC as they ran around and played, Micah giving Braet high fives, being a boy and farting then of course he'd laugh, asking for chocolate milk and even saying, Hi dadda, Hi momma, I love You!" It just melts our hearts and causes us to thank the Lord for such sweet, sweet blessings! Another day of special memories!

He also hasn't had a fever in about a week now!! How wonderful is that! Thank the Lord! It would be much harder now to get the amount of Motrin he would need in him so it has been huge blessing. The docs have also helped us tweak his meds and he is again a little bit more comfortable. Luke & I had have been camping out in the living room, so as not to move lil man, and its working pretty well. We are sleeping well and it seems much better for our boy.
So appreciate the emails and cards we are recieving~ can't express just how encouraging they are. THANKS so MUCH!

Specific Prayer:
*Mikes has alot of mucous in his mouth, so if you would pray that the mucous would go away
*Diaper changes are still uncomfortable for him, we are not exactly sure why, if the pain is coming from his back (he also has a lesion in his lower back) or his leg. So that he would have no discomfort with this and wisdom for Luke & I how to best care for him
*Mom has her biopsy this week on the 19th and then surgery on the 24th. Mom & Dad have been feeling well lately~although they wouldn't want me to draw attention to them ~ but we'd appreciate you prayers for them too, Thanks!
*Still praying and hoping for a miracle
* -- That if prolonging Micah's life is not God's plan for our little guy that he would experience no pain, his breathing would be easy and his passing be quick and easy
*Peace for our hearts and trust in the Lord, that we would not be anxious
*For our Braeton

Making the Most from our Micah Man #1

Wanted to update you first on our Micah Man... He is resting well except for when we have had to move him, Luke & I are probably going to be camping out downstairs in efforts not to make Micah uncomfortable. He has said only a handful of words since Sun., his steroids are being decreased (he still is on a decent amount) just recently seems to weak to hold his cup and his drinking has slowed tremendously.
We are kissing on him, singing and just enjoying holding his hand~ As Always, thanks for your prayers

Making the Most from Our Micah Man, part 1~

We will make the most from our Micah Man if in our time of affliction we don't distance ourselves from God.

“Let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4.16) for we have a mighty Savior who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows (Is 53). He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, and our temptations yet was without sin (Heb 4.15). He deals gently with the weak because He Himself is beset with weakness (Heb 5.2). Therefore let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith (Heb 10.22) knowing that our suffering Savior welcomes His suffering children in their time of need.

One of the quotes that has served most deeply during this time is from a friend of Robert Dabney’s writing to comfort him in the loss of his 2 young sons, “My heart is sad for you, my brother. Your two bright and noble boys, both gone! What a grief! What an overwhelming sorrow! God is in this matter, moving amid the cloud and darkness of a throne which is nevertheless all spotless and full of glory. It is a case in which you must trust God, and trust him utterly. This is easy to say, but in the intensity and great force of the conditions which agitate your heart, it is no doubt difficult for you to see into the full significance, the deep and powerful force of the idea. Yet there is, for all that, a ground for your trusting in him, though he slay you... Have you questioned whether God could deal with you like this if you were his child? If you have, it is a natural, but not a sound conclusion. Was not Job beloved of God at the very time when his children perished? Do not give up your trust in him; wait, bow, submit—submit even to bear the rage of your own unbelief, and say to him, "Even amid my agony, yet I will trust in thee, though thou slay me,too."I do hope and pray that God may give you grace to exercise a faith which will humble, comfort and cheer your inmost soul. But if you cannot so believe, at least lay your hands on your bleeding and darkened spirit, and drag it along the way of duty. Follow the Master's will, in comfort if you can, but follow it. He will bring you out into a pleasant place in his own time.”

Oh to drag it along the way of duty, in comfort if we can…. follow- follow near, follow close, follow hard. Dabney experienced communion with God amidst significant trial and affliction. He would bury 3 of his beloved boys, yet the Lord would be his light and comfort even through a valley of weeping. Dabney wrote: “Our parting is not for long. As for my other loved ones, whom I see exposed to disease and death, I know that death cannot touch them unless my Heavenly Father, who orders everything for me in love and wisdom, sees it best. So I can trust them, though trembling, to his keeping and be at peace. Our little one, we hope and trust is now a ransomed spirit…This a hope inexpressible and full of glory”

It is only in God that we will find our supreme comfort during times of suffering and affliction. Dabney drew near to God in the midst of his many journeys through the valley of weeping and he found light, comfort and freedom.

God invites us to find and experience the same. We will make the most from our Micah Man if we draw near to God.

“In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me (Psalm 18.6,19).”

* Used and modified with permission from Jon & Jenni Smith. Thanks Joe for helping!

Journeying Through the Valley

Journeying Through the Valley ~
One thing we have heard continually from our pastors is that a person only has to live long enough before they experience suffering to some degree or another. The Bible also informs us of the certainty of suffering for God's people ("through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22). We are so very grateful for our pastors and the care they have given by teaching us these biblical truths even before Micah was diagnosed, it has provided a foundation for us to stand on.

Since Micah's diagnosis, we have watched our little boy go through so much suffering - needle pricks, IVs, brain surgeries, high dose chemotherapy, Broviacs, PICC lines, NG tubes, vomiting, infections, ER visits, etc... How could we watch all of these things and not fall apart, give up hope, and withdraw from the Lord and from others? Believe me, the temptations are there, but we can only attribute strength and perseverance to the strength and grace of our God. When all else around us has given way, we have pressed down into God and found that He is real, He is there, and His steadfast love never ceases. We know he loves us because He sent his only Son and purposely subjected him to suffering and abandonment so that we would never be abandoned or forsaken. "He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace" (Isaiah 53) "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). Though we have experienced and are experiencing many sorrows (even now my heart aches as I watch my little one lay peacefully on the couch), we have been comforted knowing that our God is good and loving and in control of every circumstance we encounter - though we don't understand the "why" of everything we are going through.

Along our journey we have been inspired by many who walked similar roads before us. One such couple is our friends Jon and Jenny Smith whose faith and love for God even in the midst of severe trial has been outstanding. On their blog, The Smith Family, they have written six posts about what they have learned (and are still learning) through their experience of suffering in hopes that these lessons learned would minister to others as they have ministered to them. We would like to borrow from the Smiths and share some thoughts from their posts with you as well, with the same hope and prayer that they will in some way help and encourage the ones we love.

More to come...

~Even as we write this the days are increasingly hard. We would ask for your prayers specifically for Micah and us. Micah is having increased pain whenever he is moved or his diaper changed. Our longing is for a miracle, the ones we have heard about, the ones we've read about - but seeing our little guy suffer is crushing. We know his eternal home will be splendid and as much as I long for him to be in my arms bringing joy to our household I long for him to be in no pain in the arms of Jesus laughing and playing just like he did with us. Oh, Lord, your kingdom come we pray, speed the day.

I can Swim!!!

Braet learned to swim this week!! When he and G went on their adventure they ended up at the Aquatic Center and in order to go off the dive you had to be able to swim to the ladder so he took off his life vest and off he went, what Fun!!! He has also been taking swim lessons for the last 2 weeks and has loved it! He is so excited! What a blessing to our little man. Luke and I have so enjoyed hearing all his stories and sharing this milestone with him!

Britt & CC, Britt came along to help with Firecracker!
Thanks Girlie, enjoyed having you!

Sorrow Shall be turned to Joy

Micah is sitting on the couch drumming on his chest, CC 's in bed and Braet is on an adventure at the pool with G & Nana ~ I'm was reading the following quote a friend sent to us and wanted to share it with you, how timely the encouragement. The days are tough, some seem easy and others really hard. Mikes has been complaining of his leg hurting when we change his diaper, he has said much less lately. We so miss our big boy running around, climbing and getting into things. We still enjoy him yet it is hard as we watch him get weaker and weaker but thank the Lord we have such wonderful memories with the three of them and each day we are making new ones too!

Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith, Charles Surgeon
Your sorrow shall be turned into joy - John 16:20 Their particular sorrow was the death and absence of their LORD, and it was turned into joy when He rose from the dead and showed Himself in their midst. All the sorrows of saints shall be thus transmuted, even the worst of them, which look as if they must forever remain fountains of bitterness.Then the more sorrow, the more joy. If we have loads of sorrow, then the LORD's power will turn them into tons of joy. Then the bitterer the trouble the sweeter the pleasure: the swinging of the pendulum far to the left will cause it to go all the farther to the right. The remembrance of the grief shall heighten the flavor of the delight: we shall set the one in contrast with the other, and the brilliance of the diamond shall be the more clearly seen because of the black foil behind it.Come, my heart, cheer up! In a little while I shall be as glad as I am now gloomy. Jesus tells me that by a heavenly alchemy my sorrow shall be turned into joy. I do not see how it is to be, but I believe it, and I begin to sing by way of anticipation. This depression of spirit is not for long; I shall soon be up among the happy ones who praise the LORD day and night, and there I shall sing of the mercy which delivered me out of great afflictions.

July

July

Who would have thought?! Our nurse is amazed... how gracious the Lord has been in extending Micah's life. Little man hasn't eaten in a few weeks now but between him and CC I think we need our own cow! Micah still loves his chocolate milk, what a blessing!!! His fevers vary, he will go a day or so without one and then they spike really high sometimes the meds work and other times not so well. Tylenol, Motrin, a warm bath and prayer, thank the Lord it came down yesterday evening (the fevers are due to the tumor affecting the ability of his brain to regulate temperature). Micah has been a little more alert the last few days and we have hung on his few words, just love being with him. Braet has taken to sitting by him at times, doing short skits, stroking his arm and praying for him. The Lord is working great things in him! CC ,well she like to put her head down on Micah's pillow and then try and steal Eddie (his most prized possession- a stuffed elephant from the Buchanan's- Thanks Guys, our little man loves his Eddie so much, what comfort it brings him!). She's a sweetie and a firecracker all in one, and they are all growing too quickly! Luke has still been able to work from home, which is just wonderful. Can't imagine not being able to have him here during this time. Many times he's on the couch right by his boy, laptop and typing away =) at least until he has to make a phone call, then he has to find a quite room away from Firecracker!
Thanks for all our continued care~ Micah's Care Page has now been checked over 13,000 times!! Not to mention the Blog, we have no idea how many times that has been checked! Thanks for your steadfastness in the long haul. All our Love! Have a Happy 4th!

UPDATE:
MOM-
*She has a biopsy scheduled for July19 and then Surgery is July 24 at 11:00am