Wednesday, November 3, 2010

100 years...or 14 months {it's a vapor}

Our sweet Chloe's funeral is today.
Her autopsy showed absolutely nothing wrong it her.
They have concluded that she died of SIDS.
As those of you who have been around my blog
for very long know,
I'm really not into doing serious posts.

I like to keep things light.
Very light.

And that's how I am in real-life too.

I guess that probably stems back to my sobering experience
at the ripe age of 6 when my dad was killed
in a tragic accident at work.

I remember vividly my mom taking me
into a bedroom at my grandma's house, sitting me on
the bed to tell me that my dad was gone.

I easily recall all the stupid things people said to me
at the funeral that were supposed to ease my pain.
Like empty promises of going for a ride on
someone's horse was going to magically zap away the
sting of death.

To this day I can't walk into a florist shop and smell what is so good to others,
but a stench to me, without
being jolted back to the time when our
house was filled with flowers
that were meant to make a very young mom and her three little girls feel better.
It didn't work.


I suppose all that and more has left me with no
doubt of my own mortality.

Death became very real to me, before I even reached first grade.

And it's why serious matters tend to make me feel
very uncomfortable and vulnerable.



But as light-hearted as I almost always am,
I take so seriously our need for a savior if we want to
spend our eternity in a
place of glory.
(And not to mention an abundant life on earth!)

Heaven is real. Hell is real.

We ALL will spend our eternity in one place or the other.

And though I'll save you a lengthy essay on how
the Bible has been proven historically and archeologically correct, so on and so on,
the bottom line is,

We all must do something with Jesus.

Accept or deny Him.

Whether we live on this earth for 100 years...or 14 months,
it's all just a vapor compared to eternity.

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here.
But just in case there's one person who is in doubt over where they'll
spend their endless eternity,
I do hope that you will accept Jesus as your savior,
because we simply don't know when our lives will abruptly end.




I love you all too much to not tell you what's true.





31 comments:

Stefanie said...

Oh goodness, Lori. SO sorry for your family's loss. My sister lost her son at 7 1/2 months due to a fatal, degenerative condition over 11 years ago. It almost broke her, but a few years after his death, she actually found Jesus! Praise Him for making good out of our brokenness.
Praying for healing for your family.
Sending BIG hugs to you all.

Unknown said...

Woke up praying for you this morning. Love & hugs.

Karin said...

Oh Lori...I am so very sorry. I will be praying for all of you today. My cousin died of SIDS when I was in fourth grade and I will never forget all that surrounded the days afterward. I didn't know about your dad. I can't imagine... A little girl in SaraGrace's class just lost her Dad (leukemia) and we aren't sure how to comfort. If you have any advice, please share. We love this little girl and would love to offer comfort and not make things worse in our fumbling stupidity.

Jamie said...

I'm very sorry for your family's loss, that bright smile is lighting up Heaven right now (and I hope that you know that I MEAN that it's not just "something stupid people say at funerals :)

The only way life gets lighter for real is with Jesus walking by your side \0/

Jamie said...

I forgot to add:
My daughter is almost 14 months old, this post (and others I read daily about children walking a rough road) always frightens me for a 1/4 of a second, enough to turn my stomach and make me want to snatch my own child up to protect her. But then I remember the Lord's promises, my heart eases, and I KNOW she is safer with Him than she is with only me.
I am so sorry that your family had to experience this loss, this loss that seems senseless. I'm praying for you all this AM. Thank you for sharing about eternity and the search for Jesus the "Truth". God bless and keep you and yours.

Angie said...

Preach away, girlfriend. Preach away. Too many still need to hear the truth!

JR said...

Oh Lori, how sad & terrible for your family to lose your dad so many years ago. I had no idea.

Praying for your family - so hard to imagine what you're all going through losing Chloe. I'm praying and sending love to you from Durango. ♥

Laurie said...

All I can send your way are prayers and a (((HUG))).

Nancy said...

As the grandma of an 18 month old and 17 month old, I can't even imagine the pain you all must be feeling. I will lift you and your family up I prayer. I am sure that Chloe in jeer short time on earth has left many precious memories.

Cari said...

At my grandmother's funeral last month it was a celebration of her homegoing. She was 84, so it was expected but still miss her deeply. 14 months old is not expected. I would not even say that I know your pain, because I don't. I will pray that God brings you comfort during this time. Most people that are "light-hearted" all the time usually are covering or blocking past pain, so let yourself GRIEVE...even if you find yourself grieving over the loss of your dad again...it will be good for you. Praying for you, my friend!

Debby said...

Sending hugs & prayers of comfort to you all today....

Unknown said...

Lord Jesus I pray that you cover this family in a blanket love. I pray Lord that you would begin the process of healing their hearts and that you would surround them with family and friends to be a source of comfort today and for days to come.

Shelly said...

What a beautiful little girl. So very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing Jesus! Praying that someone will come to Him because of your words!

Suzanne said...

Praying for your family today.

blessings,
Suzanne

trina said...

Lori, I'm so sorry. I'm just catching up on your blog. So very sorry. She's so precious in that picture.

Chris said...

You bring back memories of an ambulance call that I was on...little girl about the same age..her mommy saying in the background "c'mon ____breathe you can do it" We tried but were unsuccessful. I drive by their house every day and think of it every time. I wanted to say something in the worst way and ended up never talking to the parents (DR's job) but as another mom I thought I should say something.
Lori,I am sorry...SIDs is very cruel.
And father's leaving their little girls...

Marie-Claude said...

Keep on preaching, we'll keep on praying. Hugs and prayers for you and your family. As for the smell of flowers, I get you...'been there.

Marie-Claude

Nicole A. said...

We are praying for your entire family - and for Heaven's newest angel! God bless you all!

Nicole A. in LA

The Montieth Family said...

Lori,
I don't know you...but as a fellow Kansas Mom who also has two beautiful girls in China...I enjoy reading your blog. But, I have never commented-until tonight. I am VERY sorry to hear of your great niece's passing. That photo of her is precious! I can only imagine how your hearts must be aching. SIDS is very cruel. I did home daycare for 7 yrs; my 5th year of babysitting a sweet little boy passed away from SIDS while in my care. That experience nearly killed ME and not a week goes by (almost 5 years later) that I don't think about that baby boy or his parents. His Dad came to pick him up seconds after I found him not breathing...I was on the phone with 911. It changed me forever. Your family is in my prayers.

Adeye said...

TRUTH, friend!!!!!

Praying for your family at this time. I cannot even imagine :(

Love you.

Jean said...

I am so sorry for your family's loss- Chloe is beautiful and now she is with Jesus, lighting up heaven with her lovely smile!

Praying for your family, for healing and for God's comfort...

Madeleine said...

What an amazing little girl; what a joy she must have been to her parents.

Oh I pray for them,for yous all.

And thank you for opening your heat and letting us in. That you for sharing your pain. My brother in law died from a medical mistake at 33. The children were 4,6 & 8 and they could say the same things as you did, people trying to comfort in the worst possible way.

And most importantly, thank you for once again, proclaiming the truth for the rooftops. Or in this case, from the computer screen. It is too important not to.

Sally-Girl! said...

Chloe is suc a beauty. She is just making heaven a more beautiful place. Can't imagine the pain as you know that we are experiencing our own right now. Please email me about what to do and say to my nieces right now. I am so worried about them now and in the future. My heart breaks for them.

Jill said...

I am so sorry for your loss Lori. :(

Kathy said...

So sorry for your families loss.
Praying for all of you.

TanyaLea said...

oh Lori, I am SO sorry for the loss of your nephew's daughter. Chloe was a beautiful little girl, and I can only imagine the depth of pain they are feeling, along with the extended family. Loss is SO hard. It's clear you understand it at a level deeper than many.

But you are so right in sharing the message of Jesus. He is our only SURE hope. In the day-to-day life, we often fly through each one, forgetting that our life here is but a vapor. We need to be ready and we need to keep sharing Jesus, as we never know when our days on earth are through.

Praying for God's grace to comfort and sustain your family during this time of grieving precious little Chloe's loss. <><

Hugs,
Tanya

Mandi said...

Oh Lori, I had no idea about your dad. I am SO sorry. Chloe is a beautiful little girl, so sorry for her families pain right now. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain and hurt you are all feeling right now.

Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Learning Together at Home said...

Lori - you've been on my mind so heavily. Thank you for telling the truth - lighthearted or not.

Holly said...

Every once in a while a serious post is a good thing, I would say, and this was the perfect one. Praying for your family, and for anyone who really needed this uncomfortable but true message.

Tony and Rett said...

What a beautiful girl. She is no doubt, giggling with Jesus right now. But the human part of me wants to cry that she's not here with her family.

And for the loss of your dad. Lori, I cannot imagine.

Sometimes, those sober posts change lives.

Praying for you, friend.

Love you!

Lyn said...

Thank you for the reminder about what is truly important.

My brother's daughter died at 17 months. It's so heartbreaking.

Continuing to pray for Chloe's parents.

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