September 23, 2013

This day is etched into my memory.  We buried our son on this day.  After, a week of being surrounded by wall to wall people, the burial was relatively small, just a few close friends and family.  We stood in a circle around the grave-site each of us carrying a white rose.  We went around and shared memories of Sean. 

I shared that I was happy that my husband and I had made the decision so long ago—that I was going to stay home with the kids, and that we were going to home-school.  I felt that I really did savor the moments with my kids, and now that the moments with Sean were gone, I did not have regrets – about that at least, (I had other regrets), but about that I did not.

A few of our friends, sang and played the guitar.  We sang,  “Who am I” by Casting Crowns. 

Towards the end of our time, I noticed that my mother-in-law and sister-in-law had moved away from the group to take a phone call.

When we arrived back at our house, we were told, that my father-in-law had passed away.  My husband’s family lives on the East Coast of the U.S. and my father-in-law had recently been placed in a nursing home for Alzheimer’s. 

My husband lost his son and his dad a week apart.

We found ourselves packing and traveling out East to get ready for my father-in-law’s funeral. 

Sean and my father-in-law were close to one another.  They shared a similar sense of humor—the quick Irish wit—with the lightening comebacks that never fail to bring laughter into the room.  It seemed everyone wanted to be their friend. 

My father-in-law was a lawyer, which was a great fit for all his verbal skills.  Sean did not know yet what he wanted to be.  He was greatly influenced by a youth pastor, and he thought he might want to go into the ministry. 

My husband shared at my father-in-law’s funeral that the quality that his dad really possessed was the desire to help others.  He grew up in the depression where people needed to rely on each other to survive, and when he became a lawyer, he used those skills to help others in need.  Sean shared that quality of his grandfather’s—he really wanted to help others.

Every year for the past few years, my husband’s cousin, (their moms are sisters), shares his condolences of the day with us.  We share ours with him.  His dad passed away on September 23^rd also. 

September 23^rd is the day our son was buried, my husband’s Dad passed away and his Uncle passed away.

I don’t know what that means.  But I don’t believe in coincidences.  There is too much pattern to life. 

Jesus said that all the worry in the world will not add a single hour to our life. Matthew 6:27   Does that mean we become fatalists and stop taking care of ourselves and do unwise things?  No, not at all.  It does mean, that we need to think beyond this life.  Just as we prepare for retirement and trips, we need to prepare for the life to come.

How do we prepare? 

1.  Have a relationship with God.  It is an eternal relationship.  It is called eternal life. John 17:3
2. How do you have this relationship?  Ask—you just need to ask.  Acts 2:21
3. Praying is another word for talking with God.
4. God says, “to as many as received Him, even to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God,” John 1:12
5. This is a suggested prayer, “Lord Jesus, I need You.  Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.  Come into my life.  Thank you for forgiving my sins.  Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”  
6. That’s it.  If you ask, Jesus will come in.  He will forgive your sins.  He will give you eternal life.

Here is a link that will explain more about this. Click here.

If you have asked Jesus to come in, let me know!!    So, I can be encouraged!!