THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HELD

It is with such a heavy heart that I give this update tonight. Baby Cooper was diagnosed last night at about 8:00 PM with a congenital heart defect, called TAPVR (Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return), which means his pulmonary veins are going to his liver and not where they need to. He would need open heart surgery to survive, and is too small to do that. The cardiologist told Melody & Clay that he would probably not make another 24-48 hours.

COOPER WALKER BURCHETT went home to Jesus at approximately 5:15 pm today--Sunday, October 29th, 2006. I personally feel that his grandaddy Mark was at the entrance to Heaven to carry him in through the gates.

There will be a graveside service for Cooper at Memorial Park, in BabyLand. More details later.

I woke up this morning with this song in my head--It is HELD, by Natalie Grant. I hope it will minister to you as it has to me.

Natalie Grant - Held (From the album Awaken)

Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To Think That Providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling

Who told us we’d be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happens to us
We're asking...
Who have died to live, it’s unfair

Chorus:

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and know
That the promise was when everything fell
We’d be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow

Chorus:

If hope is born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our Savior

Melody and Clay held baby Cooper for approx. 5 hours today before he went home to Jesus. What a treasure--to be held by your mom and dad--and then held by the arms of Jesus. I can just picture Jesus saying "Come to Jesus, Come to Jesus, baby Cooper".

As Melody & Clay face these next few days and trials, please continue to lift them up in prayer. We know our God will provide - Great Is His Faithfulness.