Moving Forward....

I titled this "Moving Forward," because I can't possibly fill in all of the blanks from the lapse in posting on my blog, so I am going to take it from here. Well, even here has a starting point.

As you can see, this is Labor Day.... September 1st. We had breakfast this morning at the Cracker Barrel. Ronnie, Meredith and I, met Justin, Jordan and Phe, Leigh and Sid and Jeff, Mindy and Parker there. It was nice, having my family and good friends with me. Of course, my favorite thing is watching Phoenix. Watching Phoenix grow.... watching Phoenix play and explore. Watching Phoenix, as her eyes light up and that smile comes across her face. Oh dear Lord, she is beautiful, and so smart. Thank you Heavenly Father for blessing our family with this most precious treasure and for my family and friends.

On Thursday of last week, Cookie and I attended the funeral of an 18 year old young man, killed in a one car accident. His grandparents are our friends, Edward and Ann Peeler and my heart breaks for their loss. Death is such a hard thing to process. You inevitably realize that death will come to all of us at our appointed time, but you think it will be when  you're 96 years of age, you're tired and ready to go home to be with Jesus and your family and friends, who are there already.

You don't understand the loss of infants, children, teens or young people. You just think that death comes to the elderly, not to the ones who are just beginning. However, this is not the case. Babies get cancer and die. Illness, accidents, unexplainable situations, take the young away. I know that there is a reason and one day the reason will be revealed. But, in the meantime, families are burying their young people and grieving over the loss of a life just beginning and a future that will never be. I read on FB this statement: "Our loved ones who are gone, are a part of our past and they leave behind sweet memories. However, if they are believers in Christ, they are also in our future. Each day we live, brings us closer to Heaven, closer to life eternal with Jesus and with our family and friends." Hallelujah.... Life Eternal with Jesus, who paid the ultimate price for our sins, Life Eternal in a Home, more beautiful than we can imagine. Life Eternal with our family and friends, reunited, never to be separated again.

So.... we move forward.