ANNA BETH COMES FOR A VISIT

AS YOU ALL KNOW AMY, MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER HAS BEEN

BLESSED WITH MANY, MANY BEAUTIFUL CARDS. THEY MEAN EVERY-

THING TO HER. I HAVE BEEN HESITANT TO TELL ABOUT THE GIFTS

SHE HAS RECEIVED AS I WANT "EVERYONE" TO KNOW HOW SPECIAL THEY

ARE FOR SENDING CARDS. WE IN NO WAY THOUGHT PEOPLE WOULD

SEND GIFTS AS SOME OF YOUR HAND MADE CARDS ARE GIFTS IN AND OF

THEMSELVES AND ESPECIALLY THE CARDS MADE BY THE CHILDREN....

THE YOUNGEST HAS BEEN 3 1/2 YEARS OLD.

A BOX CAME THE OTHER DAY AND I JUST HAVE TO SHARE THE LETTER

THAT WAS ON THE INSIDE OF THE BOX:

Dear Debbie, Amy, & Family,

In some sense I feel like a total stranger, and in other ways I feel as if I

have known the Ragan family for a long time...It is the lovely writing you do,

Debbie sharing your journey in such an inspirational way.

I am a Grandmother that is raising my ten year old granddaughter and

wanted to share with her some of your Mother's thoughts. I explained

Amy, that you were not feeling very well and what could we do to make

your day just a bit happier. Alexey Rae disappeared for the longest while to

her bedroom. I could hear a little noise, boxes being moved around in her

closet and she reappears with the biggest grin possible. Held in her hands

were two precious items that she cherishes and has hung on her pink

Christmas tree for the last four years. They were crafted from the loving

& talented hands of Rebecca from A Gathering Place.

"So, Alexey are you going to part with these," I ask?

"Oh Grandma, Amy needs a Pink Heart, that shows LOVE and an Angel

to watch over her. We can't send the Angel to Enid, though without a name.

My favorite name is ANNA BETH.

Do you think Amy will like that?"

I assured Alexey Rae that Amy would smile, big time.

Again Alexey disappears and comes back with part of her

allowance money.

"Grandma, can you get Amy a really beautiful card, and try and

find one with Angels...maybe one that sparkles? When Amy gets

the letter and card, her Mom needs to hold it up for her.

"Why," I ask.

"Because Grandma we will be there in spirit, and since you are

older you get to choose which hand of Amy's you want to hold,

and I will hold her other hand. Do you think she will feel the LOVE?

Well, Grandma what if she can't feel my hand, then what?"

Her eyes started to tear up, and I assured her Amy will feel the LOVE

in her Heart.

A bit later after Alexey reorganized her thoughts, her one last concern

was "I know that God is a really busy man, and I need to make sure he

doesn't forget to visit Amy and check up on her!"

Again, I offered her my assurance that God is Love and

God is everywhere. We just need to remember to let him in our

hearts.

I do hope that this message offered through the eyes and heart of a

ten year old will make you smile today. Big Texas Hugs to the

Ragan Family.

Blessings,

Carol Brannum & 'Lil Ms. Alexey Rae

I DID NOT TAKE A PICTURE OF ANNA BETH, THE ANGEL OR THE

PINK HEART...YOU KNOW IF REBECCA MADE THE ORNAMENTS

HOW THEY ARE HER DELICIOUS TRADE MARK PINK,

BATHED IN GLITTER

THAT LOOKS AS IF IT CAME FROM HEAVEN AND BELIEVE ME,

ALEXEY RAE TOOK BEAUTIFUL CARE OF THEM...THEY LOOKED

BRAND NEW TO BE 4 YEARS OLD (and plug...plug...it says of the

work of my beautiful Rebecca from A Gathering Place...wink...wink)

I WANTED THIS TO BE ABOUT A 10 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO GAVE

THE BEST SHE HAD, SO MY DAUGHTER WOULD FEEL THE LOVE.

I WANTED EVERYONE TO SEE ALEXEY, NOT WHAT SHE GAVE

(and believe me I know it was a sacrifice for her)

ALEXEY RAE, LET ME TELL YOU, AMY FELT THE LOVE, I FELT

THE LOVE, HER DAD FELT THE LOVE, HER AUNT SHERRY, HER

GRANDMA, HER ONLY BROTHER RICHIE FELT THE LOVE BUT

FOREMOST.....GOD FELT THE LOVE.

GOD IS SO PROUD OF YOU ALEXEY. WHEN YOU SHOW SUCH

KINDNESS TO SOMEONE LIKE AMY, YOU ARE REPRESENTING GOD

AND IT MAKES HIM SOOOO VERY HAPPY.

WHAT AMY AND I HAVE DONE FOR YEARS IS KEEP A

PRAYER JOURNAL. EVERY NIGHT BEFORE WE GO TO BED, WE

WRITE A LETTER TO GOD AND TELL HIM OUR FEELINGS

AND WHO WE ARE PRAYING FOR AND SOMETHING THAT

HAPPENED THAT DAY WE ARE THANKFUL FOR. WE WOULD

ALWAYS READ A CHAPTER IN PSALMS AND PROVERBS AND

WRITE DOWN OUR FAVORITE VERSE.

I AM THANKFUL FOR YOU ALEXEY RAE.

I TELL YOU WE WERE OVER WHELMED WITH JOY.

AMY CONTINUES TO GET 12-14 CARDS A DAY AND HAS RECEIVED 5

PACKAGES THIS WEEK.

STARTING YESTERDAY SHE COULD HARDLY WALK TO THE

RESTROOM. HER FEET ARE TURNING INWARD AND SHE TRIES TO

STEP HIGH...TODAY IT WAS ALL MY HUSBAND COULD DO TO

GET HER DOWN THE HALL AND SHE ONLY WEIGHS 60 POUNDS.

HER FOOT DROP IS SEVERE AND SHE TRIES TO FALL BACKWARDS.

SHE HAS A BEDSIDE COMMODE THAT HOSPICE BROUGHT AND

WE WILL JUST PLACE HER ON THAT NOW AND NOT RISK A FALL.

SHE CONTINUES TO BE NAUSEATED AND THROWS UP AT LEAST

ONCE A DAY. WE ARE SO VERY THANKFUL IT IS NOT MORE.

AS BAD AS HER CONDITION LOOKS TO THE NATURAL EYE,

SHE CONTINUES TO FIGHT TO LIVE AND GLORY TO GOD, WE

HAVE A HEALING JESUS.

MY COUSIN SUZIE AND I WERE TALKING AND SHE SAID

AMY HAS THE SPIRIT OF DAVID...the cancer is goliath.

THAT cancer HAS BEEN HIT AT THE ROOTS WITH HER STONE,

THE PROMISES OF GOD.

IT IS A FACT THAT ONE DAY WE WILL ALL DIE. AMY IS SO VERY

WEAK BUT SHE IS STILL BATTLING WITH EVERYTHING SHE HAS.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS, CARDS, AND GIFTS.

SHE IS IN "DESPERATE" NEED OF A MIRACLE.

EVERYONE OF YOU, ARE BEAUTIFUL, AWESOME, LOVING, AND

JUST ALL AROUND WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

YOU PAID CLOSE ATTENTION TO MY SISTERS' POST AND THERE

ARE PADDED BICYCLE PANTS COMING IN THE MAIL. PLEASE,

DON'T ANYONE ELSE SEND PANTS. I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER

PEOPLE IN NEED.

THERE IS A NEW YOUNG MAN I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT

THAT IS IN THE BATTLE OF HIS LIFE. HIS NAME IS ANDREW.

YOU CAN CLICK ON HIS PICTURE AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO

HIS MOTHERS' BLOG. (I HAVE BEEN CAREFUL PUTTING UP

PICTURES AFTER WE WERE SCAMMED BY THE ONE YOUNG MAN'S

STORY THAT WAS ALL MADE UP.)

PLEASE EMEMBER THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE IN PRAYER....AMY,

LEILA AND KORBIE, ASHLEY, SALLY, BECCA, ROY AND ELISABETH,

TRACI'S MOTHER WON HER BATTLE WITH CANCER AND WENT HOME

TO BE WITH JESUS...HER FAMILY NEEDS SUCH PRAYER, SHERRY'S FOOT,

JEAN AND BILLY, PATRICIA, KIPPIE, LADY KATHERINE, KIMBERT,

JAY AND SUZANNE, BOBBY, RICHARD, CASS, WILL, DORIS AND

RICHARD, SHERRY'S NIECE, THE VICTIMS OF THE FLOODING IN

GEORGIA AND THE ONES' WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES, KERRIE

AND BILL, MARYDON AND JOSHUA, TAMMY, JENNIFER, THE TOLLE

FAMILY, TERESA

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR SPENDING A PART OF YOUR DAY

WITH ME. YOU ARE SO SPECIAL.

ANGEL HUGS

LOVE

Debbie