What will matter

I came across this on a friends FB update (you can find a wealth of knowledge on FB.. ha ha!).

I loved this... because we spend so much time worrying about accumulation, accreditation, and appreciation... that we forget about what really does matter. In the hard moments, Miks, I remind myself that your life was a Glory Purpose (thank you Candice, via Tes), and that I believe you have touched enough people's lives that you have made an IMPRINT. Wow! 

Forgive me if I have told you this story before: I remember once being asked by a friend (it was a deep conversation... we were 16 years old, and were talking about L.I.F.E.).... he asked me ... "what do you want to do with your life?". My answer was... wait for it.... "I want to make a difference in someones life". He scoffed me off, and told me that I could give someone a loaf of bread and that could make a difference (which is absolutely true, but not AT ALL what I was talking about). You see, I think, deep down, if we have a God calling, and a God purpose on our life... at some point or another, we're going to touch someones life enough to make a difference. Isn't that what the Gospel is all about? Making a difference. As Mr Pollock puts it: "No change... no Jesus".

And you, Mikayla, I believe YOU made a difference in peoples lives. Maybe it was a simple as making mums give their children an extra big squeeze before bed, maybe it was as big as giving their lives to Jesus. And you had no agenda. No airs and graces about you. You, Mikayla, you MATTERED!

WHAT WILL MATTER
by Michael Josephson
Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought but what you built,
not what you got but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched,
empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew,
but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.
What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.

I keep asking myself why I continue to post in your blog when you're gone. Well, I suppose in part it's because this blog was started in the first place because I needed a place that I could channel and sort through what I was feeling, and what we were going through. In that process I got to introduce you to the world, and they got to see into our little world. My need to channel some of my emotions: well, I don't think that's changed. While I have grown so much in the last 1 1/2 years, and I believe I am able to deal with my emotions well as a result, I still feel your loss. I am not sure your story has come to an end, really. Maybe that's it: maybe I just want to keep telling your story, and keeping your legacy alive. Maybe that's a sad way of keeping you alive, or maybe it really is that even though you're gone, your story actually hasn't ended. As Russ said at your service: death has no power over us as a family.

Or maybe I'm just a big mouth, who can't shut up. I mean, I'm just saying.

Packing and crying

Today, I packed your clothes away. I haven't given them away, or sold them... just put them in a box. And it was hard.

There were clothes there that you were given before you were even born that you'd never ever worn. And clothes that you'd worn so much that looking at them was like looking at you.

16 months and 2 days of living.. the proof of your life, packed into two boxes, not even a 1m2.

I wonder sometimes why this happened. I rationalise all the good in it...and some amazing good has come of your short life, I know this. But there is a part of me that will always question our loss.
I guess, when it comes down to it, I just can't believe sometimes that the one thing I had hoped, dreamed of and prayed for, was that thing that I  lost. Not that any other loss would be better... but yet somehow this one feels worse.

Can you ask Jesus why, my baby? Would you do that for your mother? Would you ask Him why? Because no-one can heal this hole in my heart other than Him.

Let it be said that we're ok. We're fine, actually. But sometimes, when I sit down and think long and hard about you. When I try remember your smell, or the sound of your voice... when my whole being aches to hold you, love you and kiss you... in those moments, I wonder how it is that we're just carrying on?

I know, by the grace of God, He has brought us through, and will continue to hold us, and take us through. But this is the strange thing about death: life carries on. It should. And it does. But sometimes... sometimes I just want everything to stop. Just for a moment. For the whole world to stop spinning. To pause. And remember.

Because, I am so scared to forget. I know I will never forget you. But I am scared I will forget the small details of you... the things that made you who you were. The shape of your head in my hand. The feel of your hair against my face. The texture of your skin. The coolness of your feet. 16 months 2 days. Miks, it was gone so quickly... how am I going to hold onto those little things that you did for 491 days, for the rest of my life?

Your clothes are not you. The pictures on the wall do not replace you. All just resemblances, or symbols of who you were for your short time on earth. 491 days for a T18 baby... well, miraculous, really... and LONG. And yet... so very, very short.

Wondering

I am sitting here alone. Just wondering.

Wondering how you are?
Are you happy?
Do you have a little window from heaven that you can see?
Can you see the hole in my heart?

Wondering if I did enough?
Wondering why God decided it was your time to go?
Wasn't I being a good enough mum for you?

Wondering why God chose us?
Why you chose us?
If we were chosen at all?

Wondering how to let go of my daughter?
The daughter I always wanted.
The daughter I had.
The daughter I'll never have.

Wondering how to live each day being a mother who lost a child.
Wondering if I have a big sign on my head that says so?
Wondering if anyone even cares?

Wondering how when Jude's friends come to play, and their mothers ask about the sweet baby girl on my wall, how to explain to them your story on a 15-minute afternoon visit.

Wondering how I will get to tell people about you.

I don't want to stop talking about you!
Wondering if that's some sad way of trying to "keep you alive"

Wondering about that sweet little girl I saw in my dreams 3 or so years ago.
Was it you?

Do you miss us Miks, like we miss you? Or are you relieved?

Wondering how in an instant everything that we knew to be true in our world, could flip 180... when you were born, and again when you died.

I feel this strange sense of emptiness that I can't quite explain.
I am sad, but fine. Really fine.
But who I am just isn't quite bubbling to the top. Did you take the froth off the cuppachino that is me, when you flew up to heaven?

Wondering if I will ever be the same again?

Thinking I won't.

Thinking your arrival changed me for the better. Your departure changed me again. This time, I'm not sure how.

I hear you all the time, even though I know you're not here.

The me that I thought I would be. She's not me, and I am not she.

I have such a happy and fulfilling life. But I have two huge holes in my heart. That will never be filled.
That makes me sad.
Very sad.

I miss you, Mikayla. Every day. Always.

Wondering if you miss me too?

Mikayla - Who is Like God?

"She was so very special
And was so from the start
You held her in your arms
Now always in your heart

And like a single drop of rain
That on still waters fall
Her life did ripples make
And touched the lives of all

Shes gone to play with angels
In Heaven up above
So keep her special memories
And treasure them with love

Although your darling Mikayla
Was with us just a while
She'll live on in all our hearts
With a sweet remembered smile

Always in our hearts "

Written for Miks from our friends: Texas Rod, Trina & Bridget :)

I am missing you so much, my baby girl.

After it all

It's unreal to think that nearly 2 weeks have gone since you left us. Sometimes I wonder if the last 2 years was all a dream. But then I see your sweet little face smiling at me from a frame on my wall. And I remember.

Life is not the same anymore. Everything is so simple now. We have moved into a new chapter. Would I change any of it? Well, if you asked me if I could have a choice between going through the last 2 years all over again, in the same way, or having never known you at all: I would do it all again. One hundred times over, to know you even for a day. As hard as it was, and there were some really hard days- with the advantage of hindsight I now see just HOW hard some days were- you, Mikayla... you were so worth it!

The week after you passed away was such a blur. We were so busy making various arrangements, it seemed to just fly by. But on the Thursday, your ashes came. That shattered me. Suddenly it was so real.

Then we had your service on the Friday. What an amazing tribute to the most amazing little girl. I even had something to say (surprise, surprise!). I thought I'd share here what we said at your Celebration of Life service, as well as the video I made for you. I hope we honored you. You were worth honoring.

I miss you. Last night I walked in the house (we'd been out to dinner to celebrate our 10 year anniversary, thanks to our wonderful friends, Dyl & Tes), and the carry cot you were always in, had some toys in it, and out of the corner of my eye, I thought it was you. But then I remembered.  I know where you are. I know that in Heaven you will have a new body. You are free. My friend Barbara had a dream about you: you were running around Heaven in a Minnie Mouse outfit, delighted at the fact that your arms and legs were doing what you wanted. And Jesus was with you- laughing at your delight. And I know that's just what is happening (ok, maybe not the Minnie Mouse outfit... Ha ha). I find comfort in knowing you are safe, and well, and that I will see your beautiful face again, and perhaps get to feel your arms wrapped around my neck, and you saying you love me.

We notice your absence. It's like an appendage no longer there. But we're doing okay. The boys miss you terribly. But we will always feel your absence... In time, it just won't ache as much, I guess.

My biggest fear is that I did not give you everything I could. My hope is that I DID honour you. That you knew it. So much of who I am, and who I want to be, is because of you. I don't want your story to end. I hope that you will continue to change people's lives... And if I am that vessel for that to happen, then my prayer is that God will open those doors for me, and give me the grace and the capacity to make that a reality.

I believe that as you left my arms, and Jesus held you on the other side, that He gazed down at you, and with a radiant smile on His face, said "well done, my good and faithful servant". You were not given a perfect body, or a perfect mind. You were not given a "full" earthly lifetime. But you gave us all so very much. So much more than we deserved. Thank you, my baby girl.

From the service on the 16th of September:

My eulogy to you:

"On the 08th of May 2010, a baby was born with Trisomy 18 otherwise known as Edwards Syndrome.

In an instant our world turned inside out.

I could tell you about heart defects, clenched hands, rocker bottom feet and webbed toes. I could tell you about delayed growth, mental retardation, poor eyesight or hearing. I could tell you the statistics of life expectancy and how 30% die in the first month, and 90% within the first year. I could tell you that this disorder is  "incompatible with life."

But I won't.

Instead, I'll tell you about a little girl with the biggest blue eyes you've ever seen. A smile that would light up an entire room, and the sweetest laugh. A little girl who loved her Daddy. Who's sweet little toes would curl when you touched her feet, and who would giggle at the feel of her Daddy's stubble. A little girl who's face would light up when her Daddy came into the room, and who just loved the attention of her brothers. A little girl who found her way into your heart, and made herself at home there. A little girl, who, by worldly standards, was nothing great, and yet she touched hundreds of people from all over the world, without having uttered a single word. That little girl was my daughter. Mikayla.

Miks, Thank you. Thank you for letting me be your mum. Thank you for showing me the value of life, and what really matters. You taught me so much about the human spirit through the generosity  and love of both friends and strangers alike. Thank you for showing me how amazing your Daddy is, for letting me see sides to him, and your brothers that I might not have seen. I am so proud of them. Thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives. You had a fighting spirit like no one I've ever known. You did not let your disorder define you, but rather carried the days of your life, numbered before the beginning of time, in Gods great book, with a gracefulness that far surpassed your years.

You changed me. Forever changed me. You somehow made me into a better person. I am quite simply better for having known you.

You. Are. My. Hero.

In an instant you changed our world the day you were born. And 491 days later, you took your last breath in my arms, and have again flipped my world inside out. I will miss you. Forever miss you.

I hope when I grow up, I'll be like you.

Fly high, my little warrior princess.

My song for you. The first and last song I ever sang to you:

"In my daughters eyes, I am a hero.
I am strong and wise, and I know no fear.
But the truth is plain to see, she was sent to rescue me,
I see who I wanna be, in my daughters eyes.

And when she wraps her hand around my finger,
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about
It's hanging on when your heart has had enough
Giving more when you feel like giving up,
I've seen the light... It's in my daughters eyes" " (In my Daughters Eyes - Martina McBride)

Daddy's eulogy to you:

I just want to share a few stories and lessons that I have learnt from my amazing little daughter.
Bath time is a family affair in our household. You never get to bath alone. There are always three, four and sometimes five of us in the bath at the same time at any one time. Strange I know. Somehow if you hear bath water running you just think - hey why not have a meeting in the bath and whoever is around just jumps right in. Now on a couple of occasions little Miks had the last laugh at these group bath sessions. You see she would wait until we were all properly lathered up and then she would quietly drop a number 2 in the bath. With much shouting and screaming we would all scrum to get out of the water first and dash to the nearest shower.

In the short 16 months little Mikayla taught me more about life than I could ever imagine teaching her in my entire lifetime.

She taught me what it means to to be me.

Everywhere we went and everyone that we met was influenced by Mikayla. We would meet new people at a  braai or family gathering and the next day they would phone or send a message about Mikayla. People reading Taryns blog etc. Everybody seemed to know Mikayla, but more importantly, they were influenced by her in a deep and positive way somehow. I have seen many strong burly men reduced to tears as God has softened their hearts through Mikayla’s story.

So how could a little 4 kg girl who couldn’t talk, couldn’t sit and in worldly standards was very different, influence hundreds, maybe thousands of people all over the world? You see little Mikayla would go to sleep and she would wake up and just BE Mikayla. All day she would just BE Mikayla. And then she would go to sleep and wake up and just BE Mikayla. All day she would just BE Mikayla.

We couldn’t compare her to anybody else. She didn’t have to strive to be like anybody else.  So by just being who God had created her to be, she was able to touch the hearts of thousands of people around the world. So I have learnt to just be me - and allow God to influence people through me. I don’t have to be anybody else.

I have never been more convinced of the goodness of God and how much God loves us than I am right now. Although death is very sad and we miss our little princess terribly, death has no power over us as a family.

John 3:16 say “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Because we have had to walk so close to death for a long period of time and I have had to explain death and heaven to my boys many times over the past 10 months, I can tell you that heaven is a wonderful place and I know that we will be reunited with our completely healed little daughter one day.

Although the past 16 months have been really tough at times, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It has been such a rich and powerful time for us as a family and as a community at large. My intimacy with God, Tat and my boys has grown so much and I have learnt things about them and myself that I would otherwise never have known.

Another lesson that little Miks taught me - and this is huge - is that I am not here for myself.

I am not here living on this earth for myself and to satisfy myself. The purpose of little Mikayla’s life and all of her struggles were not for herself, they were for all of us. We are the ones that were effected by and benefitted from her life. She added value to all of us.

To put it into context I want to share the story where Jesus feeds the 5000: John 6 vs 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”
 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish,

You see the little boy didn’t need lunch. He didn’t need to be fed. He had his lunch. There were 5000 other hungry people that benefitted from his lunch.

The fight, the courage, the joy that Mikayla  bought to each of us wasn’t for HER benefit it was for all of US. None of us is here to live for ourselves, we are all here to benefit and serve others.
So I have to ask myself “what am I doing with the five small barley loaves and two small fish that God has given me?” Whose life can I add value too? Who can I serve while I am here on earth?
It is a phenomenal question and one that little Mikayla could answer - All of us.

The video we played:



The Balloon release:

At the end of the service we released 491 balloons: 490 white and one pink balloon. One for every day of your life. It was beautiful to watch. How quickly they were gone. Some pics that friends took:

Can you see the pink one here... I watched it go, until I couldn't see it anymore....

As you fly high with the angels, Miks, and as we learn to carry on life without you here. I know that there will not be a day that goes by that I don't think of you. There are times that it will be hard: like this morning, when I moved the bed, and it made a sound that for an instant sounded like your giggle... and I sat on the bed and wept..... and there are times it will be easy, as we remember fondly of the wonderful part you played for your brief time in our family, and our community.

As I said at your service. You Changed Me. Forever Changed Me... and I will Miss You. Forever Miss You.

Lord Jesus, please take care of my baby girl, until I see her again.

Mikayla's Celebration Service

We will be holding a service to Celebrate and honour the life of our sweet baby girl.

Friday, 16 September
10h00 for 10h30
Linc Community Church
@ The Litchi Orchard
Seaforth Avenue
Foxhill (Salt Rock)

If Mikayla has impacted your life or taught you any valuable lessons, please could we ask that you share those details here under 'comments', alternatively email me taryn@tarynvanrensburg.co.za with the subjest "Mikayla". We would like to create a book with photos of her, as well as details of lives she has touched, as a remembrance of her, and a reminder of how very meaningful her short time with us was. Please remember to include your name, and whereabouts in the world you live.

We will also be doing a balloon release at around 11h30/12h00 on Friday (South African time). For those friends abroad or far away, please feel free to release a balloon in remembrance of our sweet little girl who has left us too soon.

Day 491 - goodbye

My darling Mikayla. I can't believe it. At 11:15 this morning, you took you very last breath whilst in my arms. How quickly you were gone. I am completely and utterly broken. The angels have the most beautiful girl in the world in their midst. And I have you no more. 16 months, 2 days. Too short. Service details will follow in due course. We're spending time together as a family as we grieve and mourn the loss of my beautiful baby girl.