Update: The Celebration for Baby Dylan

To read more about what happened to this little girl go here:

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The funeral was not a funeral. This family asked God to move heaven and earth to celebrate their baby's birthday with her there. A man at a local funeral home cut through all the red tape, got the child's body late Friday afternoon and had her looking like a precious baby doll in that small pink lined casket.

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Her hair was in dog ears and she looked as if she were sleeping. Beside her her favorite baby doll lay with a bottle in it's mouth and a small book, because she loved to be read to. "Read it again!" was the common request. One pastor shared that his picture of Dylan in heaven is her sitting on Jesus' lap and he's just read a book to her and she just keeps repeating, "Read it again." He said if you pan out, there are books scattered all about our Savior's feet. The parents led the atmosphere by praising and worshipping God in both Word and through physical praise. It was so precious to see them bowing at the casket as they sang worship to the Lord. Love and joy were expressed over and over again, we sang "Happy Birthday" and then a pastor from our church who has surrendered two children to the Lord gave a heart felt message about what we could learn from Dylan's life: 1. He said we could learn Joy because that is what her life was marked with, 2. He said we could learn that life is precious because we are not guaranteed time, 3. He said we could learn to view life from God's perspective - asking's what is a long and full life from His position?

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They opened the floor for a time of prayer and encouragement from the crowd - and many spoke. Then the parents rose a spoke. The expression of the mother was that the Lord should be glorified and though she is hurting through her own personal tragedy - He is always worthy to be praised and that is what she would do. The father admitted he didn't feel strong, that at times his wife had to help him pull himself together - but, they each reflected on what this baby brought to their lives and how they would remember her, that they were having a celebration of her life rather than a funeral for her death. It was beautiful. The father concluded with a list of things he is experiencing - especially after losing himself emotionally yesterday morning. He said he taught Dylan her ABCs by saying demonstratively that "A is for..." So he shared what he is experiencing through the alphabet, "A is for anger. The anger I feel, I am angry with God. But, I praise and worship Him anyway. A is for the affection He gives me instead." He went through the entire alphabet that way. It was so precious and raw. They prayed over the group present and then we met. It was again, a precious celebration of a dearly loved little girl.

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The newspaper ran an opinion poll on the trouble "lurking in backyards" and opened the floor up for discussion - there were those who made the accusation that this mother neglected her duty by allowing an older sibling to supervise her child while playing outside. It is bound to happen, but one precious pastor said the Lord gave him a word for them, "You are good parents."

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Anyway, that is all I have - I was so blessed by the experience. I pray you all are be the recounting.

Blessings and thank you for praying. Please continue even if you do not post it hear.