I'm not giving you a WIP today. "The Beloved Daughter: Bonus Materials" is now available on amazon and smashwords (and is therefore not a WIP). My kids book, "What, Hurricane?" is still in the illustrations stage, but since I'm not self-publishing it, I'm limited in how much of it I can share with you at this point.
So, I'm going to give you a WIPAST (work in progress a second time). I've decided that while I wait for God to heal my wrists to the point where I can start working on "Not Alone" again, I'm going to re-edit, reformat, and relaunch my first-ever published book, "A Boy Named Silas."
Today is 9/11, a day that no American who was alive in 2001 will forget. (It's also the birthday of a very special WIPpeter I know, but I doubt she wants me to make that public, so I won't mention who I'm talking about.) Back to 2001 ... after the attack on the Twin Towers, many Americans were left asking, "Why would God let something so terrible happen?" That's the same question my husband and I wrestled with almost six years ago when our son Silas stopped breathing in the delivery room. So, in honor of 9/11, I give you page 11 of "A Boy Named Silas: The First Five Years."
(Quick disclaimer: You'll definitely see my faith come out in these WIPASTs, because that's really the only thing that carried our family through Silas' traumatic birth experience. I know not everyone in cyberland shares my convictions, and I won't be hurt if you just decide it's not your thing to read.)
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In writing Silas' story, it's hard to know where to start. I could tell you all about the moment when my husband Phillip realized something was “wrong” and went to get the doctor. I could tell you about all the medical procedures of Silas’ NICU days, including a surgery at three weeks to close off the top of his esophagus and put in a feeding tube directly into his little stomach. I could tell you about the friends and family who visited us and sent us cards, about the one year old big brother who woke up in our hotel room singing Jesus Loves Me, or about the family outings to Walmart that became the highlights of our weeks.
These are all great stories, and part of Silas' life that I don't want to ever forget. But there's an even more amazing story that needs to be told first. In spite of Silas' traumatic birth, I never felt the need to ask, Where was God in all of this? Where was God when massive brain hemorrhaging made my son stop breathing only an hour and a half after his birth? I already knew where God was. I didn’t need to ask. He was right there in the hospital room with us, and He was holding Silas. Of course. What else would the Almighty be doing at such a moment?
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| our miracle baby, 1 day old |
It wasn't until Silas was three years old when I got an even more vivid picture of what really happened that horrible morning. And that’s the story that really matters. Silas is fascinated by angels. Once he spent an hour playing with Legos and literally built and entire army of angels. There were months of his life in which angelic beings occupied a large percentage of his imaginative play. Eventually I had to ask myself, Were there angels there with Silas that day he almost died?
Finally I took the question back to God. And in my mind, I saw dozens of angels ... not cute little guardians, but soldiers who fight for the advancement of God's kingdom. Each one of these heavenly warriors guarding Silas' crib. They completely surrounded my son, watching attentively, even militantly. Each one wanted the honor of holding Silas as the doctors tried to resuscitate my limp and lifeless child. Then God came down, parted the company, and told his faithful servants, "No.” The angels moved out the way while the Almighty Himself declared, “I will be the One to hold the child in My own arms."
“A Boy Named Silas” is about what God has done from that moment on, and what He will continue to do in the life of an amazing little boy named Silas.
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Random Fact: Silas has now gone four and a half months without using his feeding tube at all!
Want More? Check out my books on amazon!
About That Video... I have no idea why the video I showed you guys of Regi and me didn't work out the other week. But if you want to see our video, it's up at the Kickstarter page for The Beloved Daughter audiobook, coming out soon! (I just need one or two more pre-orders for my campaign to be fully funded. Check it out!)
A very touching piece. It speaks immensely of your great faith. There is no doubt Silas was definitely in someone's arms. And though not everyone will share the same idea as to whose arms those were, the wonder of it can't be denied.
ReplyDeleteWow, that made me cry. "What else would the Almighty be doing at such a moment?" indeed.
ReplyDeleteAmazing story! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. And I'm glad it sounds like Silas is making progress. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not religious but there's something very comforting in knowing that Silas was being watched over that day when he was at his most vulnerable and despite everything he pulled through. A beautiful and very moving piece of writing and a truly heartbreaking picture of your little baby at just a day old. x
ReplyDeleteThis is a gorgeous passage, Alana. It's beautiful and emotive and as Kathi said, speaks volumes about how strong your faith is.
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