Just like parents all over the country right now, I want to wrap my children in my arms and never let go. I want to protect them from all the evil in the world.
I want to shield them from the horrific images and stories of the tragedy
that happened in Connecticut on Friday.
Unfortunately, I have to drop them off at school at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Now I will pray all day long that they make it home safely at 3:00 p.m.
I will spend my day with angst and worry, knowing they are not even safe
a half a mile down the street from our home at their elementary school.
First day of school -August, 2012
Even though I cannot protect my children 24 hours a day,
I do my very best to make them feel loved and cherished and safe.
About a week ago, my eight year old son and I began reading the book "Heaven is for Real"
by Todd Burpo.
I read the book last year and it really had a profound effect on me.
As a child, I found the subject of death quite terrifying.
I had several people in my life pass away suddenly.
These experiences left me very fearful of death.
When I became a mother, my fear of death became much less selfish.
I stopped focusing on me and what I would miss out on and I started thinking of all the things my children would miss out on not having a mother in their life.
Deep, dark stuff, people.
Reading the book "Heaven is for Real" made me, simply put, not afraid of dying.
The idea of going to a place, for all eternity, that is beautiful and safe and full of angels
actually sounds pretty wonderful. Not that I'm in a hurry to get there, but when I do, God willing,
I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it will be a million times better than any place here on earth, even the beach!
Tonight when I picked up the book to read with my son,
I thought of the 20 little angels heaven gained on Friday.
I know their parents would give anything in the world to be holding them in their arms right now,
but I find peace knowing that Jesus is now holding them in his arms.
If you haven't already read the book, I encourage you to do so.
There is also a children's book out now, "Heaven is for Real for Kids".
You can find out more about the books and the story behind the books here.
I think children have such an innocent view of life and Heaven. That was a wonderful book. I love your son's UK outfit. I just sent my grandkids their newest UK tee shirts to wear in Georgia. They are huge Big Blue fans like me :)
ReplyDeleteLaurra
Ok, now you got me crying again. This whole thing has been so unbelievable, so unbearable, so utterly heartbreaking. I too, find comfort in books like this, and know that heaven must be such a place that is beyond my imagination.
ReplyDeleteI lost my brother in 2007, and shortly afterwards, I saw a rainbow (this was in January), so now whenever I see rainbows, I think of him. I saw a rainbow on Saturday, while the song "Celebrate Me Home" was on the radio. It gave me a moment of peace, thinking that these angels have been ushered Home. But, it's so terribly difficult to bear the loss that these families are feeling.
Thank you for your thoughtful post today.
Wonderful idea and thanks for sharing. I heard a Christian speaker once say that children are a gift from God but they belong to Him. We are shepherds of them to train them up in the way they should go with love and care. We are caretakers that love them to the deepest point but they belong to Him. Never has these words rang so true as now.
ReplyDeleteYour children are beautiful. God Bless.
I haven't read the adult book yet but I just happened to buy the children's book the day before that terrible tragedy. It was great to have something to read with my children that could help them understand and feel safe. I want to read the adult version next year!
ReplyDeleteA good friend had mentioned that book to me about a year ago and highly recommended it. How are you able to read it with your son without being a mess? I would be a mess. I've been a mess since the Newtown incident. Thanks for writing about it though I'd like to read the adult version at some point.
ReplyDelete