Staying in the LIGHT of the SON!

This is sweet Lucas, who looks like he is waving hello!  He is also "catching some rays" - that is laying on a "Bili Blanket"!  This is an amazing newer invention (which has been around for at least 8 years since Lia had one of these) that allows you to be at home with your baby that needs photo therapy for an elevated Bilirubin level that causes jaundice in newborns.

And here is Doug (daddy of Lucas) also catching some rays.....in an incubator in the NICU.  Yes, this was 32 years ago and things were a bit different then.  When I took the picture of Lucas this morning, Doug and I were just laughing at his pose.  We have a "professional" picture of Doug in that exact pose!  It was his official hospital picture (which they do not even do any more).  And it was taken on the day that he finally went home from the hospital.  So he was NOT newborn, but several weeks old.  And we always laughed at that picture, wondering why the photographer left his arm like that.  Well, just try and get little Lucas to put his arm down!  As quickly as we moved it down, he put it right back up like that. Isn't it interesting how many different little things we actually inherit from our parents?  Apparently this is a very comfortable position!

Yes, Lucas has jaundice.  All of my children and grandchildren have had this.  It is not that uncommon.  But it is still no fun, when you are the mommy and daddy (or grandma).  You worry about your little one.  And the bad news is that this jaundice makes these babies sleepy and the lights just add to that.  So they don't want to eat very well.  So life with these newborns can be very challenging.  Doug and Susie are doing well with this.  As did Gwen and Tim.  It is so amazing to see your children really "all grown up" as parents themselves.

I stopped over to visit Lucas (and Doug and Susie) this morning after my Women's small group.  I had asked my friends to pray for Lucas (and his mommy and daddy) for this jaundice issue.  It was so good to get a report later today, that his level had actually dropped slightly, and most importantly had not gone UP!  As they were praying I kept thinking about his name - Lucas.   Lucas means illumination or light!  Yes, he is a child of THE light! I love that today, as he is getting some extra light from that blanket, he was also getting covered by the light of Jesus through those prayers.  Jesus is THE light and I know that Jesus will take care of that Jaundice.   Just as Jesus is taking care of Lucas.  There is nothing better to a Grandma than knowing that Jesus is in charge!

Once again, I just need to add that there is really something amazing about gathering together with a small group of people to just worship and pray.  In just a short time, my little group has seen some amazing answers to prayers.  There have been jobs found, healings, other "suddenlys" that have surprised us all.  We have been able to encourage and support one another through some very difficult situations.  There have been weddings, births, sickness and even deaths, but in it all, Jesus has been there. I can't think of anything that is more important to me than this group of people.

So my encouragement to you today, is to find your group if you do not have one now!  It is so worth the time commitment to join this kind of a group.   I will be praying for each person reading this blog to find a place (or start a group yourself!),   You will be blessed!

Jesus, thank you for reminding me that you are taking care of Lucas.   Thank you for my friends who stand with me in difficult situations and celebrate with me in joyful times.   Holy Spirit, help us all to draw closer to our brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we can be built up and support each other.   Thank you for my children and grandchildren.   Jesus, you are the Light of the World!  Thank you for your light!   Amen