The trees of the fields will clap their hands

In our front yard there are two trees. One is a cherry plum tree it has gorgeous dark red leaves and in the spring burst forth with soft pink blossoms. The other is a lavender twisted redbud it looks like an umbrella canopy of green leaves and then dangles bright pink flowers all over the tree. The cherry tree was planted when we moved in almost six years ago. It stands as a reminder of our firstborn. Nathaniel. He was 26 weeks when he was born, stillborn. The second tree was planted by incredible friends also to stand as a reminder for our second son Gabriel, who was born at 28 weeks, also stillborn.
Today is Gabriel’s birthday. So today I am looking back at the journey God has taken us on these last few years. Each year we have taken this day to write on tags what we are thankful for and tie them to Gabriel’s tree. It is amazing to me how God can change a broken heart to make it whole and overflowing again. In something as simple as saying thank-you, we wanted our girls to realize that even though our hearts were overwhelmed with grief God had given us so much more to be thankful for! Now three years later they are asking me if they can tell God thank-you for what He is doing, and write it down, to put on the tree. I can’t help but think of the verse in Isaiah where it talks of the trees of the fields clapping their hands, and think that is what our trees are doing!
Isaiah 55:11-13
“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
What tender open hearts He has given them. That is something I never thought to pray for our girls, but now it is a daily prayer. I don’t want to look back on what God placed in our lives from the beginning with bitterness. That would be like my kids saying I’ll just have the dessert for supper mom. The meat and potatoes I don’t need, I can survive on sugar alone, and then blame me because they were sick from only eating sugar their whole life! I need to grow from His plan it’s there for a purpose even if it’s not my favorite.
I’m compelled to tell you today of these friends I have! I really don’t know what to call them because friend doesn’t do justice to what they are to me. BFF seems juvenile, and sisters don’t begin to cover it. I am convinced that when I get to heaven I will know the perfect word. Until then, these girls have taught me what love is, just by being themselves. When we found out that Gabriel no longer had a heartbeat, I carried him ten more days before delivering him. Those were the longest ten days of my life. But my girlfriends filled those days with so much love and laughter you would have never known it. They gave me Gods word to lift me up when I could not even make it out of bed. They held me with such a love I have no doubt that God Himself was there holding us. Of course they did so much more than this, but I wanted to share how God uses His people to show Himself in unfathomable ways. He is here in our midst we just need to let Him shine. It is because of Him that I can say.
Lamentations 3:19 -24
“I remember my affliction and my wandering the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”