It is my son's birthday today. He loved pomegranates.Today he is 26 in earthly terms, but today there will be no birthday bash here on earth. I think, perhaps there where he is they will celebrate his life on earth. I think it will be a grand celebration, far better than what we could have done here on earth.
There are grandparents, friends, two siblings who never made it to this earth, there are the angles, and there is the the Lord Jesus and everyone will be rejoicing.
But here on earth, it is harder. To lose a loved one is hard, to lose a child to death i think, is harder. And no matter how strong you are, it hits you again and again.
Today i fight tears, a bit useless cos they have a mind of their own. But i wipe them quickly. I don't want anyone to see. I have two amazing children here with me, and an amazing husband, and there is life to celebrate every day. There is joy, even in heartache. I need to stay strong for them.
I think too of those moms, who mourn for their children, who have died of famine, in war, in horrible circumstances, and i know that like me, it is only God that can comfort. The Holy Spirit that heals and soothes like a fragrant oil.
God does mind our tears - but he does mind our self pity.
The prophet Job lost everything, his possessions and his children, yet he chose not to blame God, not deny God, but to praise him even in sack cloth and ashes.
and so.. this timeless poem always helps to remind me that no matter what, HE has never deserted me.
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
