God's Hand

My heart is heavy and my mind is trying to sort through a lot of things. A couple months ago, I got back in touch with an old friend from college, Nate, through myspace. He was such a kind person…we had several classes together. Last night I nonchalantly went to see if he had new pictures up on his page as he and his wife, Maria, had a new baby boy in April. I was shocked to see that baby Chaz died May 8 after a head injury from a car accident. It makes me almost physically ill when I think about it and especially now, typing it out.

Even though it’s been years since we’ve had a friendship, I think any tragedy that strikes someone—close to us or not—is hard to understand. Especially when it’s a newborn or child. They are certainly grieving now, and looking for comfort from the Lord. Knowing they are believers is a comfort itself.

My dear friend who also lost a new baby says she thinks it was easier to get through that trial than some of the other ‘smaller’ trials of life. Maybe that’s part of the mystery of knowing Christ. It’s like the BIG things that strike us…oh, we for SURE know that God’s hand will comfort and guide us and pick us up to live life again…and we are more patient. But the little things that are hard to figure out…maybe a financial crisis or a child who seems out of control…sometimes it’s hard to see where God is pointing. I've yet to go through a really life-shaking trial so I don't know. What I do know, is that there is certainly a reason for each moment of life, I just wish each moment was easier to understand.

Our lives all have meaning and purpose…what baby Chaz’s was in his brief life will be completely known once we meet our Savior. I’m sure part of it was to bring joy to their family…joy of a new life, making their other son a brother for the first time, and all the other joyful experiences that are a part of having a new baby. From the online journal they have up about him, it looks like one or two other children received his heart valves via transplant. So even in death, he also brought life renewed to other families!

Anyway, after a night of fitful sleep and strange dreams, I’ll continue to pray for their family…for peace, comfort, understanding and sometime soon, joy. Please take a moment to pray for them too.