To say this has been a really hard weekend would be a huge understatement.  We lost a good friend this week, to a heart attack, and he leaves behind his wife and two young boys.  It hit our neighborhood especially hard.  You could almost feel an entire neighborhoods’ sleeplessness. There is so much worry and sadness, concern and love. I worry for my friend and her two little boys. I wonder how a person gathers the strength to go on.  My heart absolutely breaks for them.

On Saturday, my friend Dawn buried her husband.  There is nothing I can do to make things better for her, nothing I can say to ease her pain.  I did the only thing I could, which is show my love through food and hugs.  A few friends and I played “caterer” and prepared a meal for for the family.  After a cold and snowy morning at the graveside service, we greeted them with hugs and we were able to warm the family a bit through the food we had prepared.   I can’t tell you how much it meant to me, to be able to help out in this way, to serve them and provide some comfort in their time of need.

Sunday was the memorial service.  I cried as I listened to Dawn speak about her love for her husband, and thought about how she is so much stronger than I am.  The audience was filled with friends, family, and an  entire neighborhood who appreciates everything this family does for the community.  There were also many children there, to support the sons who were left behind. 

On top of the sorrow we were feeling, with the loss of our friend, came the unthinkable.

A friend posted this on Facebook, and as difficult as it was to read, I found myself smiling a bit for the first time all week, at the thought of these children happy once again.

1. Twas’
   11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
   when 20 beautiful children stormed
   through Heaven’s gate.
   Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled
   the air.
   They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
   They
   were filled with

   such joy, they didn’t know what to say.
   They
   remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
   “Where are we?”
   asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
   “This is heaven.” declared a small
   boy. “We’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”
   When what to their wondering
   eyes did appear,
   but Jesus, their Savior, the children gathered near.
   He
   looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
   then He opened His
   arms and He called them by name.
   And in that moment was joy, that only Heaven
   can bring.
   Those children all flew into the arms of their King
   and as they
   lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
   one small girl turned and looked at
   Jesus’ face.
   And as if He could read all the questions she had
   He gently
   whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”
   then He looked down on
   earth, the world far below.
   He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and
   woe.
   Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
   “Let My power
   and presence re-enter this land!”
   “May this country be delivered from the
   hands of fools”
   “I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my
   schools!”
   Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
   “Come now my
   children, let me show you around.”
   Excitement filled the space, some skipped
   and some ran,
   all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
   And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
   “In the midst of this darkness,
   I AM STILL THE LIGHT.”