Somber Days...

Our time together yesterday morning was beautiful, somber, and full of God's grace.

We had three deaths to announce to the church. One, a 6 month baby died in her sleep. One a young man with a wife and four children, and finally, an older lady who had just recently decided to give her life to Christ through baptism.

It's never "easy" to release one of us to the heavenly realms...even though we believe and long to be there ourselves. There is always sadness, sometimes regret in what wasn't said, (or maybe what was said), and sympathy for the immediate family who remain here on earth.

I decided a long time ago that I would handle death in a professional way. I had many funerals and visitations ahead of me and if I broke down every time, I'd be a mess. So, me, a fairly emotional person, decided in my head that I would be very strong during these times.

Sometimes you can tell yourself something and have it happen. Right? Power of positive thinking etc...

Here's when it doesn't work for me...

It's those left behind that break my heart. Not those who have gone.

It's the mommy and daddy that wonder how they are ever going to live normal again without their child.

It's the young wife, who wonders how she is going to be both mother and father to her children who now face life without a daddy.

It's the sweet older man who has loved his bride for 50+ years and now wonders how to survive the days he has left without her.

Yesterday, our blessing song was one of those golden oldies...Blest Be the Tie

I love verse 3 of that song:
We share our mutual woes;
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear

So today, as we bear our mutual burdens, please pray for the Ramirez family, the Wilkin family, and the Gonzalez family.

I'm headed to Nashville tomorrow. Blessings to all of you.