Opinion

Faith helps us to find hope within tragedy

FLOYD lived just 14 hours.

A week ago today baby Floyd's mum and dad, grandparents, extended family and friends buried him in a Launceston cemetery.

They celebrated his life and received comfort from the hundreds of people who attended the funeral.

And while his short life was indeed a tragedy, I want to talk to you about hope.

You see, Floyd's parents (who wanted you to hear this story) were told at 19 weeks that their baby would not live, that they should terminate the pregnancy.

They refused.

Floyd's parents were told that a delicate procedure to insert a shunt to drain the cyst pushing against his heart would probably fail.

They pushed ahead anyway, and the operation was a great success.

Floyd's parents moved to Melbourne so that their child could receive the best possible treatment - even if he was yet to draw his first lungful of air.

Every step of their journey was drenched in prayer and when Floyd was born at 30 weeks after a chain of miracles, each moment was a gift.

The best 14 hours of their lives.

While this story has a sad ending as far as the world is concerned, for Floyd's family it is a tragic yet beautiful example of the hope their faith brings.

``Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see'' was the verse written across the front of Floyd's funeral programme (Hebrews 11:1).

His parents know they will one day be reunited with their son, and they are thankful that they had the opportunity to meet him.

Even in their raw grief they had the fortitude to thank God that they could hold Floyd in their arms, kiss him and rock him before he exhaled breath one last time.

His life was so significant.

I, for one, was reminded that hope is not circumstantial. It does not wax and wane according to life's obstacles.

Hope isn't here when I'm cashed up and successful and gone when I'm sick and afraid.

Hope in Christ is a constant, and that means our lives can be a triumph over despair.

What better time to bring this truth to mind than Christmas?

In the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem, penned by Phillips Brooks many moons ago, there is a line that goes like this: ``The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.''

Hopes and fears in the tangible, like flotsam and jetsam, are tossed backwards and forwards on the tide.

God's brand of hope, brought to us in the form of the vulnerable baby Jesus, is a rock we can moor our life to.

Hope is a powerful force. With hope, the blows only bruise us, they may even scar us, but they don't knock us down.

And this bigger-than-me kind of hope is available to everyone.

When the angel proclaimed the birth of Jesus all those years ago, it said, ``Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord'' (Luke 2:10-11).

Hope for ``all the people''.

This Christmas we will remember two babies - the death of Floyd and the birth of Jesus. But in both we will celebrate one thing.

Hope.

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Posted By: By CLAIRE VAN RYN on 12/12/2011 1:24:00 PM | Comments (9)

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So proud to know this wonderful family and the journey they have been on. through the heartache of loss there has been many gifts, and baby Floyd will be amongst many other angel babies who are remembered this Christmas.

Posted by Robstar83, 12/12/2011 8:52:40 PM, on The Examiner

Beautifully written Claire, a moving tribute to a darling little baby boy and his family. God bless them and good on them for choosing life for Floyd, however brief here, an eternity in heaven. Fly with the angels baby Floyd, know you were loved.

Posted by Lynn, 12/12/2011 10:17:29 PM, on The Examiner

Beautifully written and shared, and personally...so timely!

Thank you Claire

Posted by Lilac, 13/12/2011 7:53:30 AM, on The Examiner

Oh, please! Must we always have to have society not face up to reality and be told that reality isn't as bad as it looks? Mankind will not move forward until we are less accepting of fairy stories to mitigate reality.

Posted by Southernresident, 13/12/2011 8:12:34 AM, on The Examiner

How dare you judge others for deciding to end abnormal pregnancies. I've had two terminations and have never lost a minutes sleep. I'm horrified that girls under 18 are allowed to continue with their pregnancies when they should be forced to either terminate or adopt out. Get your head out of the clouds deary. Campaign for a safer world for the children who are already here. I have one child I told him he was lucky, he got through!!

Posted by leemob55, 13/12/2011 9:22:28 AM, on The Examiner

I appreciated your article Clare. As as a mother of a special needs son I have found your article true in my own life. My life, the life of our family and our church family, is enriched by having our dear son. The experience has strenghtened our faith and hope. Indeed, our God is good and His son, Jesus Christ, so precious.

Thank you.

Posted by Christine C, 13/12/2011 10:46:50 AM, on The Examiner

That was such a beautiful article you wrote about Floyd. We prayed for a miracle, and we thought the miracle was that he would live, but rather the miracle is that so many people have been touched by his death. Our Father's ways are higher than ours. I am sure many will come to respond to the love of Jesus, after experiencing this little ones passing. Thanks Claire, you are a special lady xx

Posted by Ruth, 13/12/2011 11:08:36 AM, on The Examiner

Thanks, Claire, beautiful. May God truly Bless little Floyd's parents and give them strength at such a sad time. More stories like their's please - not for the sadness of it, of course, but as you say to demonstrate faith, hope and love! :) Trust in Jesus.

Posted by Caronne, 14/12/2011 12:00:53 AM, on The Examiner

Yes, faith is handy when logic and rational thinking are in short supply

Posted by Ian, 14/12/2011 7:44:32 AM, on The Examiner

Claire van Ryn's column KEEPING THE FAITH appears in The Examiner every Monday. You can blog with Claire from 10am every Tuesday