These days I:
Brush Jenny’s hair and marvel at how long and beautiful it is
Think of the verse "Where there are no oxen, the barn is clean" when I feel frustrated at how quickly the house gets dirty
Call my friends and cry with them
Love the sound of children laughing in the next room.
Don’t mind (Well, not too much) when Ben and Steven rattle the kitchen lights
Marvel at the gift of life.
Pray for Jeff and Carolyn and their families.
When I heard of this unbelievable tragic accident I wanted to go to my children and just hug them. Because they all live at a distance I couldn't, so I wrote them an email hug.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that it takes something like this to wake me/us up and force me/us to realize the vapor that life is. I will express my love to my family more often, because a day will come and the opportunity will be gone.
May God be with Jeff and Carolyn and their extended family in their grief.
It seems so unfair and wrong that 5 innocent children are gone who were totally loved and cared for by their parents but yet we have murderers, rapists child molesters going on with their lives. It seems to me that is so may times it is the good that die young.It just seems wrong. I try to think that God had a reason but am still struggling with that. My thoughts and prayers are with Jeff and Carolyn in the difficult and sad times ahead.
ReplyDeleteI used to think the same until I realized that in God's eyes all of us are the same. We all deserve hell. However, by His grace and mercy He has provided a better plan and place. This sin-cursed earth can certainly upset our logic, can't it? Decisions for eternity are already being made as a direct result of this seeming tragedy! Oh death, where is thy sting and oh grave where is thy victory?
ReplyDeletemlk
Anon wrote:
ReplyDelete"It seems so unfair and wrong that 5 innocent children are gone who were totally loved and cared for by their parents but yet we have murderers, rapists child molesters going on with their lives. It seems to me that is so may times it is the good that die young.It just seems wrong. I try to think that God had a reason but am still struggling with that. My thoughts and prayers are with Jeff and Carolyn in the difficult and sad times ahead."
Anon, in our human, finite, and vapor of a life existence, we cannot ever hope to see anything but wrong in situations like these. However, as a Believer in God, through His Son, I choose to let Him direct the affairs of His creation and it helps me to cope with instances like this tragic accident. My faith accepts that God can use these incidents for His glory and for our good, and as I say that I am aware that on our level it makes no sense.
I believe that these children are safe with God, cannot "explain" it just believe it with all my heart. I believe that time means nothing to God, for a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are as a day; He sees the end of time from the beginning of time. Our lives are stretched out before Him as a scroll.
As I accumulate the birthdays that record my time on earth, I realize more and more with each one that this is not my "home" and I ought to be living here as if I am on a journey to that "home." After all is said, what is this life but a vapor compared to eternity with God? When our focus is off of this life and on the life to come, our vision is clearer and our hope for that eternity is stronger in the midst of these tragic events.
As for the murderers, rapists, child molesters, and all other sinners that continue to live when children and "good" people die daily; is not this the grace and mercy of God? Those that live in the righteousness of Christ as commanded in God's Word are dead to this world already and desire that heavenly home; these other sinners may need more time to come to the knowledge of the truth, that is GRACE, granted by a merciful God to all sinners.
The hurt of this family's loss is staggering to me; only by the Grace of God can I ever hope to have a glimmer of understanding of such incidents that occur in this present world. On my own, and in my own logic, I would perish as the reality of this tragic loss crushes the life out of me; thanks be to God for the Victory we have in Christ, the conqueror of death for all who believe in God throuth Christ!
Your post this morning is evidence that life may stop for us, but only briefly. Then the children rattle the lights, you comb your daughter's hair, the children are laughing in the next room, your heavy heart prays many prayers for Jeff and Caroline, and life resumes.
ReplyDeleteThe leaves turn color, (may be already on the ground in your area,) the moon makes another cycle,lunches are made, nights divide our days, Sundays divide our weeks, and life goes on.
I enjoy your blog very much. So full of life.