High Five

Is this you?  There are many times I don’t say anything or write—because I’m always afraid of saying the wrong thing and hurting more than helping. I know others have hurt you-when they did not realize it or were not trying to—I’m always aware as I’m sure I have done the same. Yet, you are my friend, so of course, I want to talk and encourage and help.  

Please continue to forgive all your family and friends when we say and do the wrong things—because the alternative is that we remain silent.   I do not want to let today go, without acknowledging what a painful day this is for our family. Five years without our son, brother, cousin, nephew, grandson and friend. It was the best day for Connor’s life—and the worst for ours.  

Please remember, Christians don’t die, they merely fall asleep in the Lord. Christians who have near death experiences never seem to experience nothingness. They never seem to know the cessation of movement and consciousness. They go from the shock, pain and sadness of this life and move towards beauty, light and total peacefulness. They talk about feeling light and free—not being under the heaviness of their earthly bodies. They see colors never seen before. They hear music never heard before. Everything they experience is beyond beauty and words. Some say they are dreaming. Some believe that they have gone beyond and come back. I don’t know—but I find their stories compelling. 

What I do believe, is that we are not static beings upon death—but that we continue always to grow in the love and knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ. When I stand before a casket, I pray “may you ever grow in the love and knowledge of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.”  

The prayer of Christians is ~ Jesus come back, not please let me die.  Believe me when I say that there have been times I thought death would be best.  I longed to be with our son.  Grief distorts and pushes our will, versus His will.  Our bodies along with our souls are intimately knit together by God.  When we die our bodies are broken.  Death does not free us, it breaks us.  When Jesus died His body was broken.  He rose again. When He comes back, he reunites us and we will be broken no more. 

Jesus came to free the world, not free us from the world.  We don’t climb to grace, we do not pay to get there.  Our hope is not to die, but to live, eternally.  It is not when, but where we will live.  

Family and friends experience the hard, cold realities in pain and suffering of their loved ones not being here. Those that fall asleep in Christ will know nothing but love, forgiveness, peace, calm and beauty beyond words.  I do not believe that our loved ones are taken too early.  They are here for the time God desires.  He does not make that known to us.  Therefore, love one another as if today were your last.  

We have suffered far more than our son ever did. He had a good life with a loving family, beloved siblings and MANY, MANY friends. He lives on in our hearts and minds forever. Most importantly he lives in eternity with Christ—the creator and perfecter of his soul.  Walking by faith and in His word I am confident we will see him again.

Do not despair dear friends of Connor.  His life is good, indeed, it is perfect. You need not worry or wonder about him—because Connor is safely home. We do not have to feel guilty about anything we should have or could have said or done. You loved him with your all. You are 100% forgiven not just by God, but by Connor. That’s right, Connor has been perfected not only in his love, but also in his forgiveness. He holds no grudges. He’s not sitting in heaven wondering why we did not do something differently that may have changed the outcome.   God is sovereign and knows how long our lives will be.  He is not fretting over anything.

The Bible says that His will for us is that we pray, praise and give thanks always.  

Pray by turning to Him in the day of trouble and pray without ceasing.

Remember always that He is God and He is good. His way is right and we can put our full love, trust and faith in Him. When we do this—it will take away our fear and anxiety—because perfect love and trust does not fret or doubt.

Give thanks always.

So simple. So impossible. Love God with our all. Love everyone else.  Show mercy. Trust in His goodness and that He will get you through. He will surround you with plenty of crazy, broken family and friends so that you always have opportunities to love, forgive and show mercy.

I pray you will remember how much you are truly loved.  I pray that you will feel God’s comfort and peace in YOUR lives today and every day, until we are all united with Christ and Connor in heaven.  Until then I will continue to share my heart, gratefulness and love in Christ with you.  I believe we are all Chosen to Shine for Him.  May God use your love and mercy for good.

Peace & Blessings,

MamaC

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-5