What my mama shared at Emmett's funeral.

A few days before Emmett's funeral, my mom asked if she could speak during the service.  We said yes, and when she showed us what she would be sharing, my heart was overwhelmed.  I want to share it, because I believe it needs to be documented, and I never want to forget her words. 

Friday, February 20th, I had a dream.  In my dream, I was holding a newborn baby boy.  All around me a wedding celebration was going on.  Not like a wedding you would imagine here on earth; I was surrounded by colors unexplainable, ribbons flowing, such great joy and celebrating all around me as I was holding this baby boy.  Later that day I was sharing with Sara and her sister Rachel about my dream.  We were laughing and saying it was me holding Emmett at Rachel’s wedding!

I forgot about the dream until the night Pastor Mike and Jen came over to discuss the service arrangements for Emmett.  Suddenly, the dream came to my remembrance, and this look of astonishment came over my face. . .Sara was sitting across from me and she was looking at me saying, “What?” I shared the dream and it was then that I realized it was Emmett I was holding!  Later Rachel sent me a text and said “Emmett is with Jesus, preparing for the best time ever. The wedding day of us to Jesus. And Jesus is going to let you hold him on that day.”

What Rachel was referring to is the hope we find in the book of Revelation 19:7-9

“Let us be Glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright , for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the lamb!”

On the morning of Tuesday, February 24th, I had another very vivid dream.  I was standing in a hospital room, looking at someone writhing in pain in a hospital bed.  I was trying to figure out in my dream who I was looking at, but all I heard was the name “Joseph Caradonna.”  It didn’t make sense because that definitely was not my friend lying in that bed!  I was puzzled and I woke up with such a nagging wanting to know who it was.

It was later that day that I got the call from Ryan that Emmett had no heartbeat.  When I arrived at the hospital and I saw my daughter lying in the bed I knew it was her I had seen in my dream.  However, I was still confused by the name Joseph Caradonna so I did some research on the meaning of that name and this is what I found . Caradonna is an Italian name meaning “dear lady” and Joseph is a Hebrew name meaning “to increase, God has multiplied.”

“Dear Sara, my dear lady the spirit of Jehovah will increase in you. He will be your strength and comfort. He will carry you, strengthen you and multiply through you. He goes before you and prepares the way.”

When my Dad got the news, his boss in South America put him on speaker phone and each person took time to say a prayer in Spanish.  When I shared this with Sara, her reply was, “My little baby didn’t even get to come into this world, yet he is already touching the nations!”

Today, if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, search your heart and invite Him in. There is coming a day, and I believe that the time is soon, that Jesus is returning to gather His bride. There will be a great celebration, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

I see the hope of this truth profoundly exhibited in Sara and Ryan, and it is my hearts desire to see each and every one of you at that wedding banquet.  And on that day we will get to hold our beautiful baby, Emmett!