The Overcomer's Necklace

A few weeks ago, Lane and I had the privilege of attending a special needs ministry conference for church leaders, teachers and volunteers, and parents of special needs children.  It was an awesome conference that addressed a variety of topics from issues families face to getting a special needs ministry in your own church started.  It was truly a blessing to attend.


A mother and daughter were two of the speakers at the conference.  The daughter, Tracy had been permanently disabled in a tragic car accident about 23 years ago.  But their tale was not one of tragedy but of overcoming and victory.  Ginny, the mother, and Tracy have not only become encouraging speakers, but jewelry artists, and Tracy has even become a newspaper columnist despite her disabilities!  Isn't God AMAZING!!!


Well, back to their jewelry making...  Ginny explained that when Tracy finally got to come home after intense rehab, that they were basically homebound all the time and became miserably bored quickly.  Then they got to making jewelry.  Tracy is the artist and designer with her mother, Ginny, being her hands to make the jewelry.  The jewelry is very natural looking and primitive earning its given name "Prims".  Tracy joked that the jewelry was unbalanced like herself ;-)  And all the jewelry has a Biblical or encouraging basis.  


Well during lunch, I wondered over to the table where Prims Jewelry was on display and picked up a "Crib Angel" they had made.  It's a necklace with a clay angel they had made that I planned to hang on Sweet Pea's crib.  It had a scripture on the tag:


"For He will give his angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways."
            Psalm 91:11


I thought it was very sweet and had to have it.  When I went to pay for the necklace, I got the opportunity to talk with Tracy and her mom.  I explained that I completely related to their story- that when my son had finally come home from the hospital, he came home on continuous oxygen, a continues food pump, and a heart monitor, and all three had to be worn 24/7.  We couldn't leave the house unless it was to go to a doctors' appointment and even that required extra hands that my mother in law was happy to provide.  For months we stayed cooped up inside the house.  We only saw people that came to see us, and it's not like we were hosting any dinner parties.  All I could do was wake up and pray that Jude lived through that day (the doctors sent us home prepared to lose our son).  Gradually, Jude got better and we got to create our own little version of a normal life..


After finishing my story, Ginny smiled and reached over and handed me this necklace

She explained that this was their Overcomer's Necklace and that they wanted me to have it because I was an overcomer!  


I felt so touched and couldn't say thank you enough.  I treasure the necklace and what it meant for them and what it means for me.


I wore the necklace to my anatomy scan a couple of weeks ago, and I will be wearing the necklace again this morning when I go to my Maternal Fetal Medicine appointment.  


I feel good about the baby's health, but being back in that office will definitely make me uneasy.  Also, I know that if the first anatomy scan were enough, I wouldn't be attending another one in a different office.  So I am praying that the specialist will have the same findings as my doctor did- a healthy baby.  


I have a peace about it either way!  




"...To him who overcomes I will give a white stone with a new name on it."
               Revelations 2:17