Today, a courageous mother whose blog I follow is dealing with marking funeral arrangements for her three month old premature son, who was never able to leave the NICU. Her comments on making final arrangements for him reminded me so well of the day, five years ago, when I had to make final arrangements for Daniel. The fact that someone else has to endure the December burial of her youngest son has me in tears. I have no wisdom. I have no encouragement or words today to help put such a loss into perspective. There is no perspective, and I am not sure that there ever really will be.
So, rather than leaving a sad and inane post, I am choosing to repost my post from December of 2011, when I apparently had more center and more wisdom.
We come to Earth as babies, and many of us find a loving mother, often a loving father, grandparents and sometimes even siblings. Uncles and aunts and cousins round out our families, and many of us are lucky enough to be woven into a basket of loving family as we are babies, toddlers and children. We have more connections to the world than we can count, and this is how it is meant to be. Of course, this can change. Fathers can leave or die, mothers can return to work, or pass also. Uncles can move and take cousins with them. Disasters can take entire families as well. Most often we enjoy our extended families and don't begin to lose large numbers of our family constellation until we are in our fifties or our sixties, when God prepares us one family member at a time, to begin the process of realizing that we will return to Him, from where we came.
Please try to remember this holiday season that many people have not had the genuine treasures that we associate with Christmas and the holiday season. I am not talking about presents or material things we have. I am speaking of the real treasures of this life, the love, camaraderie, shared acceptance and joy that can come from spending time together as a family. Not only do many people not have this as children, but it can be hard to create in one's own family when one cannot recall these moments well in adulthood.
Some of us lose entire families when circumstances take us from them, and some of us lose family when they pass to God, one by one. In any event, people are often left here on Earth without the connections to others they had when they were younger. At Christmas, when the hype of happiness, joy, and a glorious special day is all around us, it can be a very difficult day for many people. Please remember this, and take part of your holiday season and share it with someone who might not have the connections to family or to friends that you do. Jesus Christ did not send a blessing to all of us on a proxy date of his birth. He sent us blessings year round. The longer we dwell on Earth the harder it can be for us to see sometimes. And this, is one of the most important things I have learned from Daniel and also from my Dad. Merry Christmas all.
The lead vocal in this song is performed by Jody McBrayer.
Jody was one of the vocalists in the group Avalon. He left the group some years ago due to an issue with an enlarged heart, and released some great work as a solo artist. Jody is once again working on some exciting new projects.
So, rather than leaving a sad and inane post, I am choosing to repost my post from December of 2011, when I apparently had more center and more wisdom.
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| Picture from: justletmevent.wordpress.com |
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| Picture from selfexcited.blogspot.com |
We come to Earth as babies, and many of us find a loving mother, often a loving father, grandparents and sometimes even siblings. Uncles and aunts and cousins round out our families, and many of us are lucky enough to be woven into a basket of loving family as we are babies, toddlers and children. We have more connections to the world than we can count, and this is how it is meant to be. Of course, this can change. Fathers can leave or die, mothers can return to work, or pass also. Uncles can move and take cousins with them. Disasters can take entire families as well. Most often we enjoy our extended families and don't begin to lose large numbers of our family constellation until we are in our fifties or our sixties, when God prepares us one family member at a time, to begin the process of realizing that we will return to Him, from where we came.
Please try to remember this holiday season that many people have not had the genuine treasures that we associate with Christmas and the holiday season. I am not talking about presents or material things we have. I am speaking of the real treasures of this life, the love, camaraderie, shared acceptance and joy that can come from spending time together as a family. Not only do many people not have this as children, but it can be hard to create in one's own family when one cannot recall these moments well in adulthood.
Some of us lose entire families when circumstances take us from them, and some of us lose family when they pass to God, one by one. In any event, people are often left here on Earth without the connections to others they had when they were younger. At Christmas, when the hype of happiness, joy, and a glorious special day is all around us, it can be a very difficult day for many people. Please remember this, and take part of your holiday season and share it with someone who might not have the connections to family or to friends that you do. Jesus Christ did not send a blessing to all of us on a proxy date of his birth. He sent us blessings year round. The longer we dwell on Earth the harder it can be for us to see sometimes. And this, is one of the most important things I have learned from Daniel and also from my Dad. Merry Christmas all.
The lead vocal in this song is performed by Jody McBrayer.
Jody was one of the vocalists in the group Avalon. He left the group some years ago due to an issue with an enlarged heart, and released some great work as a solo artist. Jody is once again working on some exciting new projects.
I recently found her blog and read most all of her posts. This family is in my prayers and what they will face in the days to come weighs heavy on my heart. As always you are in my continued prayers.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I am always saddened when someone else must walk our path.
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