JOSHUA TIME 282

DO YOU SMELL THAT?>> >>>> >>At the end of this story, it gives you two>> options.>> >>I think you will figure out what option I chose.>> >>>> >>A cold March wind danced around the dead of night>> in Dallas>> >>as the doctor walked into the small hospital room>> of>> >>Diana Blessing. She was still groggy from surgery.>> >>Her husband, David, held her hand as >> > they braced themselves>> >>for the latest news.>> >>>> >>That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications>> had forced>> >>Diana, only 24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an>> emergency>> >>Cesarean to deliver couple's new daughter, Dana Lu>> Blessing.>> >>>> >>At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine>> ounces,>> >>they already knew she was perilously premature.>> >>Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs.>> >>>> >>"I don't think she's going to make it," he said,>> as kindly>> >>as he could.>> >>>> >>"There's only a 10-percent chance she will live>> through the>> >>night, and even then, if by some slim chance she>> does make>> >>it, her future could be a very cruel one.">> >>>> >>Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as>> the doctor>> >>described the devastating problems Dana would>> likely face>> >>if she survived.>> >>>> >>She would never walk, she would never talk, she>> would>> >>probably be blind, and she >> > would certainly be prone to>> >>other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy>> to>> >>complete mental retardation, and on and on.>> >>>> >>"No! No!" was all Diana could say.>> >>>> >>She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin,>> had long>> >>dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to>> become a>> >>family of four. Now, within a matter of hours,>> that dream>> >>was slipping away.>> >>>> >>But as those first days passed, a new agony set in>> for>> >>David and Diana.>> >>>> >>Because Dana's underdeveloped nervous system was>> >>essentially 'raw', the lightest kiss or caress>> only>> >>intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even>> cradle>> >>their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer>> the>> >>strength of their love. All they could do, as Dana>> >>struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in>> the tangle>> >>of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would>> stay close>> >>to their precious little >> > girl.>> >>>> >>There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew>> stronger.>> >>But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an>> ounce of>> >>weight here and an ounce of stren gth there.>> >>>> >>At last, when Dana turned two months old, her>> parents were>> >>able to hold her in their arms for the very first>> time. And>> >>two months later, though doctors continued to>> gently but>> >>grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much>> less living>> >>any kind of normal life, were next to zero, Dana>> went home>> >>from the hospital, just as her mother had>> predicted.>> >>>> >>Five years later, when Dana was a petite but>> feisty young>> >>girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable>> zest for>> >>life. She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental>> or>> >>physical impairment. Simply, she was everything a>> little>> >>girl can be and more. But that happy ending is far>> from the>> >>end of her story.>> >>>> >>One blistering afternoon in the >> > summer of 1996 near her>> >>home in Irving, Texas, Dana was sitting in her>> mother's lap>> >>in the bleachers of a local ball park where her>> brother>> >>Dustin's baseball team was practicing.>> >>>> >>As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her>> mother and>> >>several other adults sitting nearby when she>> suddenly fell>> >>silent>> >>>> >>Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana>> asked,>> >>"Do you smell that?">> >>>> >>Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a>> >>thunderstorm, Diana replied, "Yes, it smells like>> rain.">> >>>> >>Dana closed her eyes and again asked, "Do you>> smell that?">> >>>> >>Once again, her mother replied,>> >>"Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells>> like rain.">> >>>> >>Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head,>> patted her>> >>thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly>> announced,>> >>>> >>"No, it smells like Him.>> >>>> >>It smells like God when you lay >> > your head on His chest.">> >>>> >>Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped>> down to>> >>pla y with the other children.>> >>>> >>Before the rains came, her daughter's words>> confirmed what>> >>Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing>> family>> >>had known, at least in their hearts, all along.>> >>>> >>During those long days and nights of her first two>> months>> >>of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive>> for them to>> >>touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and>> it is His>> >>loving scent that she remembers so well.>> >>>> >>"I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.">> >>>> >>This morning when the Lord opened a window to>> Heaven, He saw me,>> >>and He,asked: "My child, what is your greatest>> wish for today?" I>> >>responded:>> >>>> >>"Lord please, take care of the person who is>> reading this message,>> >>their family and their special friends. They>> deserve it and I love them>> >>very much" >> > The love of God is like the ocean, you can see its>> >>beginning, but n ot its end.>> >>>> >>This message works on the day you receive it. Let>> us see if it is>> >>true.>> >>ANGELS EXIST but some times, since they don't all>> have wings, we>> >>call them FRIENDS.>> >>>> >>Pass this on to your true friends. Something good>> will happen to>> >>you at 11:00 in the morning; something that you>> have been waiting to>> >>hear. This is not a joke; someone will call you by>> phone or will speak>> > to>> >>you about something that you were waiting to hear.>> >>>> >>Do not break this prayer; send it to a minimum of>> 5 people.>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>The true civilization is where every man gives to>> every other every>> > right >> >>that he claims for himself.>> >>>> >>Robert Ingersoll