Jacob gave us quite the scare tonight. After we had finished celebrating his 3rd week of life with us he turned very discolored and appeared to stop breathing. Karen quickly went to work trying to stimulate him to start breathing again and he did and after a couple of minutes he pinked back up and seemed to act fine. We're going to keep a close eye on him tonight... this episode makes this email that I was finishing up all the more relevant....
Gramma took Joshua and Jonathan to Chuck E Cheese this past week while Jacob went to the cardiologist. Afterwards she remarked that she couldn’t believe how fast they’ve grown. They no longer want to stay in the “kiddie section” and it seemed like only yesterday that that was all they wanted to do. Now they’re into skeet ball and video games and collecting tickets for toys! How true that is. Time flies. It seems like only yesterday…
James 4:14 says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Someone sent us a card this week that had this message penned inside it: “God does not measure the significance of someone’s life in years. There are some people who live 100 years, and yet they won’t touch the number of hearts and lives as your baby Jacob has already.”
Daily I’m overwhelmed with the people who email me, call me, talk to me, or send cards telling us of how God is using Jacob in their lives and in the lives of those around them. Jacob has brought many people closer to God. Jacob has brought many people closer together with family and friends. My prayer is that each of our “long” lives could be as effective for God’s kingdom!
Through the past couple of weeks I’ve often thought of John 9, one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It starts off like this: “As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” I firmly believe that Jacob was allowed into our lives so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. But not his life alone… but in all of ours. I hope we’re all changed as a result of this little peanut!
Later in that story, the man who was born blind and given back his sight is given quite a hard time by the religious leaders of his day and even his family. Eventually he’s kicked out of town simply because he was healed by Jesus. One of my favorite verses in all of the Bible is next: “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him. Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’” (vs. 35-39). Did you catch that? It said Jesus heard that he had been kicked out “AND WHEN HE FOUND HIM…” That’s the greatest part of the whole story. Jesus went and sought out the blind man who could now see! He was looking for him and He found him.
One of these days Jesus will come looking for my son Jacob. Honestly, I don’t know how the work of God will be manifested in his life. Perhaps God will give grace to him and allow him to live a long life. I pray every day for healing for Jacob. David pleaded with God for the life of his child even after God Himself had pronounced that his son would die (2 Samuel 12). God hasn’t told me that Jacob is terminal, only doctors have! And while I know that God is able to, I also realize that He may choose not to. It’s kind of like Shadach, Meshach and Abednego who told the king, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." What an awesome understanding of God’s limitless power and absolute sovereignty in our daily lives! Perhaps the work of God in Jacob’s life will be mercy and He will spare him the pain and agony of long life. I don’t know. What I do know is that Jesus will some day come looking for Jacob, find him and embrace him.
Perhaps the work of God that is Jacob’s life is that you may draw closer to Christ through our trial. This may seem awkward to us, but perhaps Jesus is coming to find you…perhaps Jacob was put here on this earth so that you might know the Creator of this earth more intimately. While we have thoroughly enjoyed every second with our gift from God there is nothing that would make us feel better than to hear that he has brought you closer to the “Gift of God, Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
The truth is time flies, our lives are like a vapor. We get caught up in the daily grind of regular routine and life passes us by. Before we know it decades have flown by or life has been snatched away from us. Take time to live and savor life and take no minute for granted. “I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
The Fahmers
Gramma took Joshua and Jonathan to Chuck E Cheese this past week while Jacob went to the cardiologist. Afterwards she remarked that she couldn’t believe how fast they’ve grown. They no longer want to stay in the “kiddie section” and it seemed like only yesterday that that was all they wanted to do. Now they’re into skeet ball and video games and collecting tickets for toys! How true that is. Time flies. It seems like only yesterday…
James 4:14 says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Someone sent us a card this week that had this message penned inside it: “God does not measure the significance of someone’s life in years. There are some people who live 100 years, and yet they won’t touch the number of hearts and lives as your baby Jacob has already.”
Daily I’m overwhelmed with the people who email me, call me, talk to me, or send cards telling us of how God is using Jacob in their lives and in the lives of those around them. Jacob has brought many people closer to God. Jacob has brought many people closer together with family and friends. My prayer is that each of our “long” lives could be as effective for God’s kingdom!
Through the past couple of weeks I’ve often thought of John 9, one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It starts off like this: “As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” I firmly believe that Jacob was allowed into our lives so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. But not his life alone… but in all of ours. I hope we’re all changed as a result of this little peanut!
Later in that story, the man who was born blind and given back his sight is given quite a hard time by the religious leaders of his day and even his family. Eventually he’s kicked out of town simply because he was healed by Jesus. One of my favorite verses in all of the Bible is next: “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him. Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’” (vs. 35-39). Did you catch that? It said Jesus heard that he had been kicked out “AND WHEN HE FOUND HIM…” That’s the greatest part of the whole story. Jesus went and sought out the blind man who could now see! He was looking for him and He found him.
One of these days Jesus will come looking for my son Jacob. Honestly, I don’t know how the work of God will be manifested in his life. Perhaps God will give grace to him and allow him to live a long life. I pray every day for healing for Jacob. David pleaded with God for the life of his child even after God Himself had pronounced that his son would die (2 Samuel 12). God hasn’t told me that Jacob is terminal, only doctors have! And while I know that God is able to, I also realize that He may choose not to. It’s kind of like Shadach, Meshach and Abednego who told the king, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." What an awesome understanding of God’s limitless power and absolute sovereignty in our daily lives! Perhaps the work of God in Jacob’s life will be mercy and He will spare him the pain and agony of long life. I don’t know. What I do know is that Jesus will some day come looking for Jacob, find him and embrace him.
Perhaps the work of God that is Jacob’s life is that you may draw closer to Christ through our trial. This may seem awkward to us, but perhaps Jesus is coming to find you…perhaps Jacob was put here on this earth so that you might know the Creator of this earth more intimately. While we have thoroughly enjoyed every second with our gift from God there is nothing that would make us feel better than to hear that he has brought you closer to the “Gift of God, Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
The truth is time flies, our lives are like a vapor. We get caught up in the daily grind of regular routine and life passes us by. Before we know it decades have flown by or life has been snatched away from us. Take time to live and savor life and take no minute for granted. “I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
The Fahmers
2 comments:
Thank you so much for this beautiful post. I just finished watching all of the videos you added to the side bar. I am a grandmother now, and I must say that Joshua and Jonathan are so amazing and tender with Jacob. They hold him and look at him with such love. They treat him like the most precious and delicate treasure, a gift. It just blesses my heart to see Jacob thriving, day after day, for as long as the Lord has numbered his days. There is nothing like a baby to show how small this world really is. Your family is beautiful and Jacob is perfect. And just as the scripture you shared says, "AND WHEN HE FOUND HIM", may many be found to Jesus by your life shared here with Jacob. Thank you for allowing me to travel this journey with you, it just blesses my heart and faith. My prayers continue for many, many more love filled days with your miracle boy and his amazing big brothers. "Train up a child" is very evident in your home. God bless you today and always.
Love, Laurie in Ca.
Hi Karen & Jason,
You are such an inspiration to me and Mike. I think about your sweet Jacob everyday. You are absolutely right - he is making an impact and bringing us closer to God. Maybe we will see you soon and be able to meet Jacob. Love, Katie Kubiak
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