I want you to do something.  It’s pretty simple.  Go to your pantry and pull out the sugar.  Measure out two cups of sugar into a bowl.  Take a good hard look at that sugar.  It looks like a lot of sugar, doesn’t it?  My home made brownie recipe calls for two cups of sugar and I always end up lightening it by one third because two cups seems like such an awful lot!

A couple of months ago, a second cousin of mine had a baby.  It was a much longed for child who came after many, many years of infertility.  My newest and tiniest cousin was born at 23 weeks of gestation weighing in at 1 pound 3 ounces.  Just a little more than those two cups of sugar you are looking at.  Everything that makes up this little one had somehow to fit into that two cups of sugar…skin, bones, hair, heart, eyes, blood…

 That two cups of sugar doesn’t seem so much to me anymore.  You?

I have to be honest, my cousin and I haven’t spoken in years.  She is the daughter of my mother’s cousin and we saw each other mostly on holidays and sometimes on summer visits.  Still, one hears such news and is reminded of the overwhelming river of God’s grace.  I have been moved to tears.  These are the babies one marvels at in news stories and I never expected to have such a miracle born into my very own family.  At last report, this little one had gained up to 3 pounds 3 ounces but had lost a little weight following eye surgery.

Obviously, my littlest cousin is remembered daily in my prayers and is included on our parish prayer list.  This wee one has inspired me to gather up all the leftover yarn from past crochet projects and turn them into blankets for Project Linus (and I’m sure I’ll soon move on to new skeins of yarn!).  I would ask that you remember my tiniest little cousin in your prayers and thoughts as well.  I know the day the family brings this miracle child home will contain more sweetness than any two little old cups of sugar ever could!

Many thanks!

God be with you…