Thoughts for Thursday

Yesterday was the anniversary of my nephew, Danny's, death.  I have such an assortment of feelings about this.  My nephew was a young man with his whole life in front of him.  It saddens me that he made decisions and choices that took him away from us so soon.  I pray that he has found peace in Heaven with his Dad and Grandpa.  I had another funeral to attend this morning for Frank's cousin.  We had last seen him at the family reunion that we held here in August.  Going to funerals always brings back feelings of loss for me.

I do not grieve for those who are gone from this life into the next.  I believe God's promise of eternal life through Christ Jesus and I trust that those who have gone before me are in a much better place.  I grieve for those that are left here to live without the people we loved and depended upon.  I grieve because I want to feel my father's hand cupped around my face again.  I grieve because I want to hear my brother's laughter as we people watch and and share silent looks.  I grieve because, having now lost a sibling, I understand how devastating losing his brother is to my nephew that remains here with us.  Mostly, I grieve for those who do not have the comfort of knowing the Lord and believing in his promise of everlasting life.

So I will mourn today until it is time to dance as told to us in Ecclesiastes 3:4 and know that "To Everything there is a Season".