Has It Really Been a Whole Year?

photo credit:  Charlotte

One year ago yesterday, August 31, 2009, (when I was 7 months pregnant) I was present for the birth of my godchild, John, while in the room next door, another friend delivered her 18 week baby who was stillborn.  One mother grieved as one rejoiced, and yet the prayers each offered for the other were so profound and so Spirit-filled that our Lord saw fit to have them deliver within minutes of each other.

The very next day, one year ago today, I got a call telling me that a sweet friend's three month old baby had died in his sleep.  I cannot imagine the pain and devastation of such a loss, let alone the kind of faith it takes to pick oneself up from such a tragedy and continue to be faithful.  I have been amazed by Colleen's faith over and over this last year.  She even shared her journey with Faith and Family last week:  http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/blog/dealing_with_loss/.

Having my fourth baby just two months later was a very different experience than my first three births because I was so acutely aware of the frailty of life.  I was much more cognizant of the fact that these little children have only been entrusted to me; they are not truly mine.  I think it was one of those grown-up realizations because it brought pain and joy in the same moment.

Today, we remember St. Bryce Philip and the sweet family who will forever miss him in this life.  Last year on All Saint's Day, Colleen posted this clip that had been made by her dear friend.  I started to watch it, but had to stop very quickly because I had a two day old baby, and the hormones just couldn't have handled the whole thing.  Time really didn't make that much better, but I was changed somewhere in my soul when I did watch it for the first time.  Here's the video (scroll down to see it): http://www.footprintsonthefridge.com/2009/11/the-feast-of-all-saints-tender-mercy-for-a-grieving-heart.html

God is good.  He is faithful.  He sees us through.