Beloved friends and family, Payton's visitation will be on Tuesday, October 10th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. imediately followed by a service and then lunch. It will be held at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Eau Claire (123 W. Hamilton Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701).
You are all welcome to come celebrate Payton's blessing of a life with us.
Driving Directions:
From North or South on 94 take exit number 65 (Hwy 37).
Go North (right) on Hwy 37.
At the first stoplight go right onto W. Hamilton Ave.
Bethesda Lutheran Church will be about 1.5 miles on your right (at the corner of W. Hamilton Ave. and State St.).
We look forward to celebrating her life with you. Thank you for your continued prayers and encouraging comments on the blog. The Lord has been so good to provide us with friends and family like you. We love you.
16 comments:
Aaron and Heather we are planning to see you both, you are still in our prayers and days to come.
Love Ya,
donna
Dearest Aaron & Heather:
I continue to pray and praise God for you. The example of strength, faith, and hope you have demonstrated these last many months is remarkable; you have blessed so many lives. Undoubtedly Payton has had an impact on people worldwide and the memory of her life will continue to be an inspiration. God knew exactly what He was doing when He selected you two as her parents; your love and care for her were extraordinary. I am grateful to have been a part of your journey with Payton and I thank you for allowing me to do so. Even though I will not be able to attend Payton’s visitation, I will continue to think of her in celebration and pray for each of you. May God wrap His arms around you and pour out His peace and comfort on you. In Christian love, Joyce Alison
Joyce couldn't have said it better. I'm not a gal with words but those were my thoughts all along this journey. I'm amazed with your strength. Often times I would read the comments and be so blessed how God used Payton to touch so many lives. People you didn't even know. God bless you both!!
donna
Aaron and Heather -
Someone gave me this over a decade ago. The bouquet became even more beautiful yesterday...
The Tiny "Rosebud"
God Picked to Bloom in Heaven
The Master Gardener
From heaven above
Planted a seed
In the garden of love
and from it there grew
a rosebud small
that never had time
to open at all
for God in His perfect
and all-wise way
chose this rose
for His heavenly bouquet
and great was the joy
of this tiny rose
to be the one our Father chose
to leave earth's garden
for one on high
where roses bloom always
and never die...
so while you can't see
your precious rose bloom
you know the Great Gardener
from the upper room
is watching and tending
this wee rose with care
tenderly touching
each petal so fair...
so think of your darling
with the angels above
secure and contented
and surrounded by love
and remember God blessed
and enriched your lives too
for in dying your darling
brought heaven closer to you
Much Love, Caren Hoehn
Heather and Aaron,
I am still praying for you both and have been thinking about you constantly (even if I don't know you both well.) I remember plenty of times when friends shared with me how you both are amazing people. It has come to hit me in the last day and half, how truely amazing you must be. I admire you being faithful to the Lord through Payton's entire life, and you are a tremendous example to all to remain faithful to the Lord through the tough times too. As a new Christian, that was amazing for me to see. I can't wait to get to know you both better, and will continue to pray that the Lord can make your hearts feel whole again and that Jesus can take care of Payton until you meet another day. Much Love and Prayers,
Haley
Aaron and Heather,
The following comes from a friend of ours who has prayed for you and Payton since the beginning. He said this poem gave his mom great comfort when "Shelley" died and he hoped it would do the same for you.
We will be with you in spirit and in prayer on Tuesday.
God bless you.
Grace and Carl
I’ll Lend You a Little Time
I’ll lend you a little time,
a child of mine, He said.
For you to love while she lives,
and mourn when she is dead.
It may be six or seven years,
or twenty-two or three,
But will you, till I call her back,
take care of her for me?
She’ll bring her charms to gladden you,
and shall her stay be brief,
You’ll have her lovely memories
as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise she will stay,
since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn.
I’ve looked the wide world over
in my search for teachers true.
And from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes,
I have selected you.
Now will you give her all your love,
Nor think the labor vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call,
And take her back again?
I fancied that I heard you say,
Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
the risk of grief we’ll run.
We’ll shelter her with tenderness,
we’ll love her while we may;
And for the happiness we’ve known,
will ever grateful stay.
But shall the angels call for her
much sooner than we planned,
We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes,
And try to understand.
I realize I am probably one of hundreds of "strangers" and yet a sister in Christ who has followed your journey with Payton. Your continued faith and trust in Jesus is a testimony to how great he is. Thank you for loving God and praising him through the storms. I think of two songs for you. One, is by Michael W. Smith called Hello, Good-bye. It gave me comfort when I lost my baby niece. The other song is Homesick, by Mercy Me. We rejoice that Payton is in heaven, but oh how homesick you must feel not just for her, but Jesus right now. I agree with another poster, his arms are big enough to hold the both of you and Payton. May his love and grace continue to build you up and sustain you.
Jennifer Bohannon
Loveland, CO
Dear Aaron and Heather, I'm one of those people who you don't know and I came very late to this blog. As someone you don't know I wouldn't dream of intruding on the service for dear Payton but I would like to offer you my sincerest good thoughts and my hope that the service is able to demonstrate what a wonderful gift Payton was in her short time here on earth. You have shown me a side to Christianity which I didn't really know existed and you did this through the wonder of your beautiful child. I'm still not sure that I'm welcome posting here and so, if in any way I'm not, then please forgive me.
Buddhism is a very different faith to Christianity in so many ways, but in other ways I believe we all share the same heart. My heart is greater for having "known" you and having known about dear Payton and I thank you for that, and I also thank Payton.
With Metta (loving kindness) and karuna (compassionate joy),
Your friend,
Amanthi.
Heather and Aaron,
We've never met, but please know that our family is praying from the depths of our souls for you. The Lord has compelled your brothers and sisters all over to lift you up.
In Him,
Peter and LaSharle Borg (Milwaukee)
Aaron and Heather,
We have never met, but I graduated with Aaron's parents and first heard about Payton at our class reunion. We lost a grandson who only lived 2 hours. One of the songs that we treasure is called "With Hope" by Michael Curtis Chapman from his Speechles CD. It is a very touching song and really has a special message to those who have lost a child. You and your family are in my prayers.
Diane Heiar
Richland Center
Dear Heather and Aaron, you do not know me but I have continued to read your blog and have posted twice. I wanted to let you both know how your witness has helped me. I lost a loved one suddenly and tragically. Since his death I have struggled with many emotions ranging from gratitude to God to bouts of anger at God that He did not spare my loved one. My head knows that this anger is unfounded but my heart sometimes can't keep up with my head. I'm afraid I have spent too much time concentrating on my loss and the ache I feel and not the fact that he is now whole and in Heaven. Reading everyone's comments and seeing how you two have remained faithful throughout Payton's journey has strenghtened me. I have come to realize that I should let go of my pain and not mourn as one that does not know the Lord. It is time for me to rejoice that my loved one is in Heaven with our Lord and celebrate the time we were blessed to have him with us on this earth. My prayers go out to you both along with my gratefulness for your ministry of strength, love and faithfulness.
Aaron and Heather,
I have also followed your story and prayed for your family since the beginning of this journey. Your walk has strengthened my faith. My prayers will continue for you and your families as you go through the days to come.
Aaron and Heather,
Your faith and and strength has been an inspiration and testimony for so many people. I found out about Payton from my children, Jeremiah and Jess Jennings, and had been holding you all up in my prayers on a daily basis. May God continue to be with you as you move forward in Him so that others may continue to see Him through you. Joyce's comment sums things up so well. My prayers continue to be with you both.
God Bless,
Cindy Jennings (Jeremiah's mom)
Heather & Aaron, I wish so much that I could attend Payton's visitation, and see the two of you! The only way I could is if I dragged my kids with me...
We're still praying for you. The sermon at our church today was about grief and questioning God. It really struck home. God has really been working in my life in the last few months. Thank you for allowing me to care so much for a little girl that I never met. Somehow I know now that God is real, and it is something that I have been questioning for a long time. I hope that I get the chance again someday to see/talk to you.
-rachel
I am so sorry that the miracle that wanted did not happen. I know it's God's will and I wish you and your family peace, to accept what has happened. I just can't imagine what you all have been through. I will pray for you all.
Mephisto,
What an honor it is to read your blog listing.
You are a very compasionate person.
Keep them coming.:)
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