"He Only Took My Hand"

Last night while I was trying to sleep,
My son's voice I did hear,
I opened my eyes and looked around,
But he did not appear.

He said, "Mom, you've got to listen,
You've got to understand,
God didn't take me away from you,
He only took my hand.

When I called out in pain that day,
The moment that I died,
He reached down and took my hand,
And pulled me to His side.

He pulled me up and saved me
From the misery and pain.
My body was hurt so badly,
I could never be the same.

My search is really over now,
I've found happiness within,
All the answers to my empty dreams
And all that might have been.

I love you mom and miss you so,
And I'll always be nearby.
My body's gone forever,
But my spirit will never die.

And so, you must all go on now,
And live, and understand...
God did not take me from you,
He only took my hand."

I was sharing with a friend today about when our parent's die, we are called orphans.
When our spouse's die, we are called widows or widowers. But when a parent losses their child, what are we called? Survivors... I said to her, after the death of my children, there is nothing that can happen to me now, that I can't survive because I thought this would kill me.

It's a club no one wants to be apart of. As members, we can only share our memories of the young men and women, who's whole life was before them but cut short by tragedy. It's all we have left. Memories. It is a club, where every member understands the other members. Although their stories are different, the names change, the number of years that have gone by may be shorter or longer... the pain is the same.... A quiet numbness. You can see the darkness in our eyes, a look of silent desperation, a longing for some one, anyone to care as much as we do about what has happened to us. But only if you look at us... Really look at us.

People stand amazed at how we can go on living a normal life after such a tragedy. I say to them there is nothing normal about it, we go and do because we have no choice. I get up and do because God is my strength, my comforter, my refuge, my peace, my calm in the midst of my storms, my helper. I can testify to you to day that without Him, I would be able to do nothing.
With Him, all things are possible, even the impossible.

Moral of this Blog: " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement). 4. Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble ( calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort( consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1: 3-5

2."Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. 3. Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unanswered endurance. 4. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [ the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5