Nov. 28, 2007 - The Best of Intentions
I started this blog back in September with the intention of sharing our homeschool journey with family and friends on a regular basis. I really do enjoy blogging, but sometimes life just gets in the way.
Six days after I started my blog, I* and I went to Indiana to visit family. When we arrived at my Aunts house, I got the devistating news that my baby brother had taken his life early that morning at my father's grave. We lost our father in January after a short battle with cancer and my little brother just couldn't put the pieces back together. Suicide leaves so many questions, but I have learned to rest in the peace that passes all understanding. I miss him dearly and I wish that during his short life I would have done more to assure him how much he was loved.
One of the things we had planned to do on our visit was to spend some time with my grandparents. My Grandmother was in the hospital, but was supposed to be released sometime while we were there. Grandma and Grandpa had just celebrated their 66th anniversary and hadn't spent much time apart since WWII. I am so glad that we got to spend time with them, because on Thursday, six days after I lost my little brother, Grandma went to be with Jesus. She was surrounded with family and friends as she received her ultimate healing and as hard as it was to let go, I am blessed by the legacy she left behind.
Quintin's funeral was Friday and Grandma's was planned for Monday. For a brief moment, I really thought that God had given me more than I could handle, but His timing is so perfect. Friday's funeral was so hard. Saying goodbye to someone so young and with so many unanswered questions is a very difficult thing to do. I dreaded Monday! But, God in His infinite wisdom knew that Monday would bring peace. Grandma's funeral was a beautiful celebration of her life. Sure it was hard to say that final goodbye, but to know that she is with Jesus and to honor her legacy was an unexpected blessing of joy.
It seems like 2007 has been a season of loss for my family, but in each goodbye, God afforded me at least a glimmer of hope. I'm hanging on to that. I'm believing that goodbye is nothing more than "in a little while."
So, with the best of intentions, l am determined to begin again.
Blessings,
Jessica
