Heaven’s Music
by Judy DuCharme
My second child, a boy, had just been born. He would be Christopher Lee and we couldn’t be happier. I was still a little groggy from the C-section as my husband, our pediatrician, and my surgeon all came in to see me. As they took my hand, I got nervous. Christopher had been born with Down Syndrome. As tears and shock took over, I asked, “Can he go home with us?”
Yes, he would go home with us, but the concerns of having a special needs child were new territory. How did this happen? Why? What would the future hold? The glorious joy of a new child slipped away to be covered with apprehension. Friends and family came to see us. It was all a blur. People from church came to pray for Christopher – I loved that. I loved my son, my baby.
The second morning in the hospital I awoke with the awareness that a song was coursing through my being. The song woke me up . . . in more ways than one. I heard in full melody, “Awake my soul and sing of Him who died for me . . .” (from the hymn ‘Crown Him with Many Crowns’) It was loud within me. I knew in that moment that fear could not be my controller. I had to put my trust in God for Christopher and for me. I had to praise Him for what He would do in my son.
Chris is now 40. He works part-time but is a full-time participant in life. He’s healthy, a good worker, a fair communicator, an excellent swimmer, has a good sense of humor, and is a consummate Green Bay Packer fan. Most of all though, he is a praiser. In all his ways, he acknowledges God and has a song of praise to go with every situation. He owns more worship CDs than most people and knows the song and the artist.
And still, I remember when times are great and when times are a challenge to awake my soul and sing of Him who died for me. And I am thankful for that constant reminder.
The Woman Behind the Words
Discover more about Judy and her award-winning books here. A Door County native, Judy divides her time between Door County and sunny Florida. When she isn’t crafting tales in her head, she is spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Judy’s author interview can be found on Ambassador International’s YouTube page.