Maya and Hope

I have not blogged for a long time. There are multiple reasons for this as the last many months have been full of events, full of life, and low on extra time. I hope that anyone who ever looked here took the time to visit www.mayawinnifred.com to keep up with my wonderful niece.

I still miss her.

It's been a couple months since she passed, and I still catch myself wondering when I will be able to go over to my brother's and hold her again. Instead, I'm left to wait for a time when I will meet the speaking, walking, creating, perfect Maya at the end of my life. That will be a good day.

Maya to me represents hope. One may wonder how a baby dependent on extra oxygen and a feeding tube, struggling to develop, represents hope. If you met her you would understand. Those of you who know me, know that the Bible is where I turn to better understand this crazy world. I read this the other day ...

"And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame"

Maya and her parents had suffering, they persevered, they built character, and it resulted in enormous hope. They were not ashamed. They loved. And they taught me more about hope than almost anything I have ever experienced. They took a situation that could be accurately described as hellish and turned it into a little bit of heaven on earth. Turning hell into heaven is the hope of the glory of God - and they gave us all a peek.

Thank you Maya. Thank you JJ and Erin. These words are inadequate - I know. Love you guys.