Wednesday, July 11, 2012

gifts

A young family of three,soon to be four,  gone in the blink of an eye this weekend.
A young mom, my age, gone after a 3 year battle with cancer. This weekend.
Where is the sense?
How do the ones left behind even breathe?

I don't know the answer.

I am far removed from either of these weekend news stories and facebook status updates.

Yet I am left reeling myself.

What is grace?
Is God really good?
Does a good God let and 18 month old die strapped in a car seat, with her mommy and daddy, all at the hands of a drunk driver?

Does a good God let a 30 year old mom take her last breath knowing her son will dearly miss her and need her?

I don't know the answer to these questions and yet I do know the answers.
according to my new fave fave author Ann Vonskamp of the One Thousand Gifts 
(get the flippin book people! get it!) 

Grace is thanksgiving.

and 

God is REALLY good. REALLY, REALLY good.
God opened up the holy gates to a sweet little 18 month old this weekend. Carried in the arms of a savior, Jesus, who made it possible for that little girl to enter with nothing else than his own blood shed.
There was nothing else she needed to get in. Nothing she could have done. Nothing else her parents could have done for her to get in. No one can pray this girl in. It was done 2000 years ago. On a cross. She was meant for heaven. We are all meant for heaven. Someday.

Someday?

What day?

The thing is. We will never know.

When our day arrives.

If we are lucky, we will have a little advance warning to say good bye. To leave some instructions for the family. To prepare for the time when He finally comes. To run into his arms. So ready. To sing, "take this world, and give me Jesus" and really mean it.

But, some of us won't be afforded that gift. We will just be gone.

So the question does not become "is God good?"

the question becomes.....

"do I know.....beyond a shadow of a doubt...that GOD IS GOOD? "

the question isn't..."how could a good God take a little girl?"

the question is...."do I know that even when a toddler is taken from this earth, that GOD IS TOTALLY GOOD. TOTALLY IT. TOTALLY ALL. TOTALLY. 

you either ascribe to that.

or you don't.

the beginning of ascribing to it is knowing what you have. 

like, say, you woke up this morning. 

gift.

your husband or wife woke up.

gfit.

your babies ran upstairs.
happy and giddy or screaming and crying.

gift.

you buttered some toast.

gift.

you got a toddler who hates most foods, to try the toast.

gift.

you stubbed your toe on a toy.
you have a toe. 
you have toys.

gift.

you were so busy you were overwhelmed.

you have things to do.

gift.

you were so bored, you were bored.
enjoy the peace.

gift.

you have no money.
money is the root.....

gift.

you have tons of money.
you can give freely.

gift.

you hate cold.
it's hot.

gift.

you hate hot, humid days.
you live here. in the tundra.
it won't last long.

gift.

you have eyes.
but do you even see? 

it's all a gift. 

see the gifts. 

when you see the gifts. 
you will see the grace.

when you see the grace.
you will see the truth. 

when you see the truth.
you know that God didn't end those lives.......

God started them.

gifts. 


Source: via Frederika on Pinterest




4 comments:

Leslie said...

I can't tell you how much I loved every word. Thank you!

Shannonheick said...

you're the best Les!

Lindsay Y. said...

Yes, we must have been watching the same news on Monday evening. I teared up while on the dreadmill and couldn't shake the horrible stories I had read the subtitles on that night. It really puts things into perspective doesn't it? So so sad for us here on Earth to see/hear. You can't waist a single moment. Not one.

Great post.

BTW, you're a better wife than I....going on a BEAR, I mean CAMPING trip with your hubs next summer.....borrow a dog or something - a viscous dog...you know, one that won't lick the bear to death :-)

Shannonheick said...

Oh dear Linds.....yes a dog that won't wag their tail and lick them to death. Although....knowing maverick he will woo those grizzlys with his canine charm school moves and they will be joining us for our campfire.....errrrrrr....not?

I was totally relating with u on the horror of the stories. Let us not waste a minute!