Life is PRECIOUS

This has been a hard, sad week for my family and friends. I've never fully grasped or understood why children die, or why wonderful, kind, good people go to be with Jesus. I hate to think about it, to be honest. I know God has a plan and time for each of us to go home, but it seems like those amazing people who die young could have been used so much more in this crazy world.

I am encouraged that the Lord has it under control and I don't have a say in it anyhow so I shouldn't worry about it, right?! Well, easier said than done. When my sweet husband got a text message from a wonderful friend in Mozambique, I thought something very tragic had happened to his mother or one of his siblings. He has a sister in Nigeria who would be considered high risk in her pregnancy, and a sister-in-law in Chicago who is almost 35 weeks pregnant. I was certain either someone was in labor or something really awful had happened. I was right something awful had happened, just not what either of us would have expected.

Our dear friend Mike, in Mozambique, lost his little boy on Tuesday. He was somewhere around 4 years old. We never got to meet Saulomon. But from what Mike had told us, he was perfect.

Now that I'm a momma myself , it's really hard for me to stay emotionally calm. I'm crying as I write this. I've had to walk away and come back a few times. I just don't know how to make sense of what has gone on this week. I trust God with my finances, my own family and my own protection, but death and why it happens to a child is something I don't understand. I know we don't need to understand but we do have to grieve.

When we found out Mike had lost his son, only a few hours later, we found out that an amazing man, Dave, that had been missing had been found, lifeless. He was a part of our family for many years and we had lost touch for a few years. He had been a part of my church as a teenager, and he helped teach me and my best friend how to ski! He was an awesome guy who taught me a lot about life and what it meant to love God with all your being.

Dave let us subject him to torture when we would go to summer camp. We gave him a mohawk and dressed him up like a girl one year. He never stopped laughing, and he never stopped serving. He really was the picture of what God meant when He said to be His hands and feet.

I have to admit, I'm VERY emotional. I cry at commercials! But I have been so busy this week that each time I got heart breaking news, I had to pull myself together and figure out when to grieve, but later, not now. I'm finally home from Albuquerque (I had a training for my internship), I finished my class for the day, and I have some time to be by myself and reflect. The tears won't stop.

In the midst of all the saddness, I'm reminded that life is PRECIOUS. Period. End of story! We can not take each day as if we have hundreds more because it simply isn't true! And, don't forget to grieve. It's cleansing, healing, and it provides some kind of closure.

My contacts keep coming out and the tears won't seem to stop, so I'll end here. Just remember, nothing is guaranteed. Do what God has called you to do TODAY; forgive someone, rebuild a relationship, or for crying out loud, move to AFRICA ALREADY!! (We're working on it!)