Tuesday, July 26, 2011

18 months

Just a few days ago Danae asked me if Josiah would be walking and running around if he were here with us today. She said, "I think he would be running all around here, taking Caedon's toys. And I think Caedon would be getting mad and pushing him down."



A year and a half has passed, and we all still think of our Josiah very often. My earthly babes refer to him as their brother...when asked how many people are in her family, Danae usually says 5...here and there, Caedon asks for Josiah and when he will get to see him.



Just a few weeks ago, a wonderful friend recently gave me an article written by Sarah and Steve Berger, whose son Josiah (how fitting) died in a car accident at the age of 19. Sarah wrote the following:



"It amazed me that the word absent means 'to immigrate,' and the word present means 'to be in your home country.' Josiah truly has immigrated to his new home country. Because we fully believe that Josiah is alive and present with the Lord, the words 'loss,' 'lost,' and 'death' aren't words we use around our house. We haven't lost anything, and nobody is dead. We know exactly where our son is, and he is very alive....What powerful truth in times of grief and sorrow: Our loved ones are alive, and they are home with the Lord."





Yes, this is the truth we know deep down. While it doesn't completely take away the sadness or the thoughts of how our boys would probably be wrestling, fighting, lining up cars together, and vying for their Daddy-O's attention, or how Danae would be making her little brothers play house and shoving them into her dress-up dresses...while knowing the truth doesn't mean our hearts are completely fixed and healed, it definitely soothes the soul to have gentle reminders that our youngest is alive, not lost, and one day we will be reunited.


:)

4 comments:

Mariellen said...

I love this. I'm so grateful to be able to witness your journey. I often wonder how I would handle such a life event and I hope I would seek after the Lord as you and Curt do.

Mariellen said...

I am so grateful to be able to witness your journey, Beth. I often wonder how I would handle such a life event. I hope I would seek after the Lord as you and Curt have. I don't imagine there would be such beautiful healing and acknowledgement of Josiah's life apart from The Lord.

Anonymous said...

Amen!
On this journey alongside you!!

Ruth Ann said...

Amen, amen, and amen! I think of our babies that did not have life here, but life in heaven often...