MAY 31, 2005

In Loving Memory
Nicole Kathryn Kenney
April 19, 2004 to May 26, 2005

Nicole was born with a serious brain disorder. She was blind, had frequent seizures, and could not eat properly. Doctors said she could not develop normally or live long.

And yet, to her parents, her two sisters and her brother she was a beloved part of the family.

How can a family bond with such a baby? How can they deal with her death? What difference does faith in God make?

Here are the words written by Lori Kenney, Nicole’s mom, that may help you understand a little better.

–Pastor George Van Alstine

Our Sweet, Sweet Baby
Little Nicole

Although your time here on earth was only for a short while, it was not in vain. The Bible says, “You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe .... Every day was recorded in your book.”

Some might say “How unfair,” but we say “What an honor” to have been chosen, trusted and given the strength by God to provide you with the care you required and the love you deserved. What we have been able to give to you doesn’t even compare to what you have given to us. Our time together has taught us the importance of compassion, forgiveness, trust, sincerity, patience, the will to be of service to others, and the true meaning of unconditional love.

The Bible says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” You served your purpose in this life, and we believe it was to give us a purpose for ours. God’s mission for you has completed and he has called you home.

We will miss holding and touching you, kissing your soft lips, the scent of your skin before and after you were bathed, lying close to you on the floor while you laid there quietly or slept peacefully, the way you cuddled in our arms and listened as we sang you songs and told you how much we loved you a thousand times over. Your beautiful blue eyes may not have seen our faces, and you may not have understood the words we were saying, but you felt our emotion and sincerity and you were content because you knew you were loved.

Although the pain of your absence seems unbearable and it will be hard to go on without you, we find comfort in knowing that you are safe in the arms of Jesus. You have been freed from your illness and are surrounded by the unimaginable, indescribable beauty of heaven. How could that compare to what your blind eyes could not see here on earth?

God said, “I am your creator, you were in my care before you were even born.” Well now you will spend eternity in his care. Nothing could be more rewarding than that.

You will be loved, thought of, and missed every day, and we are praying for the peace in knowing the day will come when we can be together again, forever, in heaven with

Our Sweet, Sweet Baby
Little Nicole

A Funeral Service was held for Baby Nicole Kathryn Kenney on Wednesday, June 1 in Saugus, California. Please pray for her parents, Paul and Lori and her sisters and brother, Amanda, Caitlin, Jimmy. Nicole was a year old on April 19.