You may remember the story I shared of my little Preacher Boy Mattie and how his LIFE story shared by a dear friend of mine, Kelly Clinger, saved the LIFE of another. (If you don’t know the story, click HERE and read it before reading any further)
Well, yesterday Mattie and Kelly met for the first time, face to face. Kelly is no stranger to Mattie’s story and has been faithful to love, pray and encourage over the past year and a half. Mattie stole her heart, much like he stole many of your hearts. Kelly is a voice for LIFE, a voice for the UNBORN, and has devoted her life to defending and protecting both children in the womb and talking to women as they consider abortion, sharing her story of deep pain and regret, forgiveness, and offering hope for a better way. This is personal for her. My son’s life is personal for her.
I watched Mattie greet Kelly with great delight and do his little shaky baby dance upon seeing this beautiful visitor come in his room, and my heart welled up with emotions that I hope I can fully express in a few words. Kelly has become a defender. Mattie was one sweet boy whose very life is the result of the prayers of the many defenders of LIFE- Kelly was one of them.
I held Mattie and we talked. I answered some medical questions. Bragged about Mattie’s development and growth, and then I said, “You can hold him.” I place my son in her arms, and he looked up at her and began to sing. Mattie loves music and he loves to sing, but I believe that when I placed my son in “Aunt Kelly’s” arms, there was song in his heart just waiting to come out. And Kelly sang back. They had a moment that was as beautiful as indescribable moments can be. There were few words spoken because sometimes words just don’t come, or if they did the tears would overtake them.
I said to her, “Mattie is saying thank you.” That’s all I could say. What else do you say in a moment like this?
I asked Kelly later in the day to share her thoughts about meeting Mattie.
I read with tear-filled eyes this morning:
“I got to meet Mattie today. It sounds funny to say that because I feel Mattie and I have always known each other.
His room doesn’t look like a nursery. Dressers that should hold clothes and toys are storage for medical supplies. There’s a rocking chair in the corner that should be reserved for Mama Tracie and Mattie’s nighttime snuggles, but instead Erin, a precious nurse who helps to care for him, was sitting in it. Mattie is hooked up to so many tubes…but as we got closer to his crib, he rolled over and looked up as if to say “Well hello!”
Tracie picked him up and he immediately started kicking his feet like he was SO excited. We got a few pictures of the 3 of us together and then sat on the floor with him. To be honest, I wanted to hold him but I didn’t know if that was ok.
I really wanted to ask him questions…tell him how valuable his life is…tell him what happened in the salon that day. I told him one day we would take our story on the road. We talked about Australia and Hawaii and how great it would be. Of course, I spoke with my mouth and his eyes did all the talking.
Tracie did a little something with his tubes to see if he would make some noises for us. She put him in my lap, and he looked up at me and started to SING. I didn’t know what to do. I just started singing with him, and then I started to cry. “He’s thanking you”, Tracie said. I wanted to say something, but I thought I would lose it. We were all crying, but none of us could speak. Mattie’s song was saying it all.
It’s amazing that God can use a child who others might think cannot communicate to speak so loudly. Today he sang a song to my heart, but on a grander scale, Mattie’s life sings a beautiful a redemption song. It is an echo of those made free…and for a moment, I contemplated all of the ones like Mattie who were never given a chance to sing. What a choir we are missing.
Precious Mattie, I will sing your song for you until your lungs are strong enough. I will stand and run until your legs can carry your story. Thank you for reminding me today that God sees. I love you little buddy. ~ Aunt Kelly”
LifeNews Note: Tracie Loux is an adoption educator and consultant and the mother of seven children and blogs at From the Heart.
