Lawson

Some dear friends of our family are not shopping for Christmas gifts this season. David and Lorey are not attending any Christmas parties. Instead of their family gathering together for holiday traditions this year, they will gather for the next few days to mourn the death of Lawson, their beautiful young son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend.

Psalms tells us that our death day is determined before our birth day. I don't understand this. How can someone only 8 years old be "full of days"?

I asked Ralph as we left this family's home: "How do you get through something like this without being bitter towards God"?

Just what exactly is the recipe for coming through a loss such as this with your Faith intact?

Should I know the answer to these questions?

I do not.

I don't know that I could re-create the path I took towards God after losing Jae Lynn. I recall it being dark and convoluted. Scary and disorienting. Comforting and surreal. I found myself in completely unfamiliar territory, even after a lifetime of being a follower of Christ. I felt as if I did not even know who God was. At the same time though, I was reassured that He was in control of all events,..even my unspeakable loss.

Lawson and Jae are much more alive than me or anyone who reads this note. Lawson is now a magnificent young man who has no limits on his abilities. He is (present tense) confident of the love he had here and I think he is surrounded by people who know him and love him there.

Does that help the pain that David and Lorey are feeling tonight? No.

I am praying tonight for Lawson's family to feel God's peace. The peace which is not explainable or understandable. The past few weeks have been dark and difficult for them, but the days and nights ahead,........

...just pray for them.