In Seattle

Well the dreaded flights to Seattle with Emmory by myself are over, we made it! I know I had many people praying for me, and I am so thankful for those prayers. It was very comforting knowing people were praying, and there were many answers to prayer along the way. God's grace was evident in so many ways, the day we left I had a calm and peace that was not of myself. The night before I was able to have a wonderful last night with my husband, whose words of wisdom helped me to be calm the night before as well. We got to the gate in Greenville with no problems, boarded the plane, started to taxi to the runway, and then were told we were going to have to sit on the plane for 40 minutes before we took off for Atlanta because of weather. This may not seem like a long time, but when you are travelling with a baby even ten extra minutes on a plane can seem like forever. However once again, God's grace was there, and instead of panicking I was able to pray and not be anxious. On both flights, my baby who has a really hard time falling asleep anywhere but his bed, fell asleep with ease in my arms. When we landed in Atlanta, a kind man offered to take Emmory for me while I got my bags from the overhead bins, and then carried him off the plane for me. After we waited for his stroller, we booked it to our connecting gate, as we only had a 1 hour layover to begin with, and with the 40 minutes delay is was going to be really close, especially being in a huge airport like ATL having to go to another terminal very far away. We made it the the connecting flight 5 minutes before they closed the door, with everybody already on board. The flight to Seattle was a long one, 5 hours of flying time, but Emmory did so well, he didn't cry the entire time on the flight. He slept a little, and while he was awake I was able to keep him entertained with toys and walking around the plane. He also was a huge flirt, trying to get everyone's attention and smile at them. It was exhausting having to hold him the entire time, not really able to eat or drink much or even go to the bathroom by myself, but I am so thankful that he did well and we made it to Seattle with no problems. My little boy is definitely a trooper!
It has been so great to be here with my family, I am enjoying every moment of it, and pretty much all I have to do as far as taking care of Emmory is feed him, as his nama, papa, aunts and uncles are very eager to hold him and spend time with him. It has also been very sad though. My uncle's graveside service was on Saturday, and his memorial service on Sunday. The services went really well, they were honoring to God and I pray that God uses Dave's and his family's testimony to save souls, but it is also just so sad. His family is of course grieving and it is hard to see. But I also came away from the services encourged, because while they are grieving, they are handling it in a way that is honoring to God. They truly have hope. Even in this time they are able to say, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD."
There will be pictures to come when I get back to Greenville. We'll be in Seattle until Monday November 2nd. My mom is flying back with us this time, which will be so nice. I'll actually be able to go to the bathroom without a baby in my lap! (Sorry if this is tmi, but that's life with a baby)

A time to mourn

It is a time to mourn in the Moor family right now, as we have suffered a great loss. My Uncle Dave passed away yesterday, after battling lung cancer for over a year. He will be greatly missed by many, his life touched so many people. He was a loving husband, father, son, uncle, and friend. His smile was contagious, he had a wonderful sense of humor, always one to joke and tease, and he was an incredibly generous man. I am so thankful to have had him for an uncle, he took me to many sporting events with my cousin Ben, and growing up I was at their house a lot, as Ben and I were (are) good friends. There were a lot of good times that were made possible by him. My heart breaks for the family, for my cousin Ben, and his brother and sister and each of their spouses and their children, for my Aunt Virginia, who has been so strong and lovingly served her husband and sacrificed herself for him while he had this illness. Yet I also rejoice, because each one of them has a relationship with Christ; and thus has hope. Titus 2:13-14 says, "our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." I rejoice that my Uncle Dave had this blessed hope, and is now with his Savior, enjoying his glory, in a state of perfection, where there are no tears, no pain, no suffering, no sin!
People often talk about God and heaven when somebody passes away, often as a way to cope and get through the tough times; however I do not speak of this as a way to cope, or as a "quick fix" way to feel better, I speak of this because this was my uncle's life. Christianity is not something that you can just use at certain times in your life when it makes you feel better, Christianity is a way of life. 2 Timothy 1:12 says, "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." When my uncle was on this earth, he knew whom he had believed, and he knew his soul was safe in God's hands, and that changed his life. Dave's family knows whom they have believed, and it changed their life. It's what enabled my Aunt Virginia to persevere, to stay strong, to serve her husband even when it was so hard, and it's what enables her to have hope now, even in a time of grief. It does not make things easy, it is still sad, there is still "a time to mourn", but God's all-sufficient grace enables you to get through the hard times, to come out on the other side a stronger person who is more like Christ, and all the while to have a "blessed hope".
They know whom they have believed. I know whom I have believed. Do you?