I don't think we could have fit anything else into this weekend had we tried. A pasta dinner for 30 high school tennis girls, a baby shower (with two-week old baby), a graduation/ birthday party, a tennis quad, a family reunion, church, dinner out, and... the wake for a fourteen year old.
Her death was instant. There was no warning. There was nothing that could have been done. It could not have been prevented. Her life could not have been saved. No one is at fault.
Yet a fourteen year old is dead.
In all honesty, I don't know how non-Christians cope with tragedies like this. Even with hope and a loving God, it's hard to bury a fourteen year old who seemed healthy one minute and gone the next.
Is our God not a loving God who cares for His children? I don't just mean Emily. What about her family? Her parents? Her older sister? Her friends whose home she was walking home from? Fifty minutes worth of drivers who drove down that busy street without noticing her unconscious and not breathing on the sidewalk? Her classmates about to enter high school without her?
Tough questions.
But I believe Emily was not alone on that sidewalk. God was with her every step of her walk home; she just arrived at a different Home than would have been expected. Even though her body was kept breathing for two days, Emily was immediately delivered into the loving arms of her Creator.
The same God that cradles their precious daughter, holds tight to Emily's parents giving them the strength to host mourners in their home, the ability to make jokes and even laugh a little as the receiving line weaved through the funeral home and out into the parking lot. He holds their tears, their hands, and their hearts.
He will be glorified, even though this situation our human eyes see as tragic and incomprehensible. That is my prayer.
It’s the only thing I can pray. And I was just a student, nine years ahead of her at the same school.
<>< Katie
Showing posts with label busy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label busy. Show all posts
Monday, August 15, 2011
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Cicada Prayers
On Friday night, six of my friends and I hiked to the top of the mountain around midnight. The walk up was strenuous, we were exhausted, but we made it to the top. To stand at this lookout point and admire God's beautiful creation lit up by the moon is worth every bead of sweat.
While we were up there, we snacked, talked, teased, took photos, prayed, and sat in silence. Sitting in silence, my friend Sarah and I had very similar thoughts, so instead of separating them, I'm just going to share them both.
Sitting at the top of the mountain, we could see other mountains carved by the hands of our Creator. We could see cars racing down the highway each containing God's precious children. We could see the moon to light up the night. We could smell the trees, taste the leaves we ate, and feel the cool breeze flowing across our sweaty bodies. Most of all, We could hear the countless cicadas singing their praises.
Sitting in silence, the cicadas hum rang through the air. It was like every single one of them was having a conversation. Conversations here. There. In the distance. In front of my face. Everywhere! It was so easy to get wrapped up in the cicada conversation and fail to notice the bright moon lighting up the world. Likewise, we get so caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle that it's easy to forget about our Eternal Moon. (Has God ever been called an Eternal Moon? Now He has).
Also, Lord, may we always be able to hear You as clearly as we could hear the cicadas that night. May daily life never drown You and hide You, the magnificent force lighting up the world.
<>< Katie
While we were up there, we snacked, talked, teased, took photos, prayed, and sat in silence. Sitting in silence, my friend Sarah and I had very similar thoughts, so instead of separating them, I'm just going to share them both.
Sitting at the top of the mountain, we could see other mountains carved by the hands of our Creator. We could see cars racing down the highway each containing God's precious children. We could see the moon to light up the night. We could smell the trees, taste the leaves we ate, and feel the cool breeze flowing across our sweaty bodies. Most of all, We could hear the countless cicadas singing their praises.
Sitting in silence, the cicadas hum rang through the air. It was like every single one of them was having a conversation. Conversations here. There. In the distance. In front of my face. Everywhere! It was so easy to get wrapped up in the cicada conversation and fail to notice the bright moon lighting up the world. Likewise, we get so caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle that it's easy to forget about our Eternal Moon. (Has God ever been called an Eternal Moon? Now He has).
Also, Lord, may we always be able to hear You as clearly as we could hear the cicadas that night. May daily life never drown You and hide You, the magnificent force lighting up the world.
<>< Katie
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Twas the Night Before Christmas...
Today was a pretty close to miserable day. It took me a over an hour to do a drive that should take less than 45. I dropped my sister off at the movie theater and had a nice lunch with a friend. We sat down, and he teased that it was going to take him an hour to eat, but I didn't need to feel compelled to stay that long. Well, his food was finish and our conversation still raging in full gear.
After lunch, I pulled back into the theater parking lot just as the movie ended. We then had to go to the mall. One day before Christmas. In a blizzard. Puke.
It was very easy for me to say, "If the glasses people hadn't broken my glasses the first time they tried to fix them, I could just go home now and finish making Christmas cookies. Wrap the presents? Oh, yeah, gotta do that, too." No. I had to be sitting in the mall... for an hour... while they replaced the lens of my glasses and then tried to tell me I needed to pay for it. In reality, they broke it, and eventually they replaced the lens for free.
While I was stalling for an hour, I ran over to a department store looking for a specific item. Well, apparently they don't make the size I need. Surprise, surprise. My entire body doesn't fit into the sizes made. Shoes, pants, shirts, you name it... it doesn't fit properly... After many hours (or at least many, many minutes) of searching, a sales associate approached me and asked if I was finding everything alright. I answered honestly (no) and told her what I was looking for. She then tried to convince me I needed to sign up for a charge card for that particular store. Well, if I can't find the product I want, why do I need to save money by signing up for a card? I told her no literally four different times. She then went to find another sales associate to ask if they make the size I was looking for. The second associate said no without offering any other suggestion. I walked away in frustration, and I heard the two sales associates making jokes. Maybe they weren't directed at me, maybe they were just having fun, but I highly doubt it. Needless to say, I promptly left the store.
My sister and I left the mall and I asked her where the package was. Her boyfriend is coming for Christmas and I didn't know what to get him, so she was going to go buy something while I was picking up my glasses. Well, apparently she couldn't find what she was looking for, so she bought nothing. Now I have no present for Boy. For tomorrow. Crap.
Drove home. Yeah, let's plow the roads.
Found a message waiting for me from a friend who wants to get together before break is over. Well, I had most of last week free, but she couldn't do anything. Now I'm booked and she's moderately free. I really, really want to get together with her, but there seems to be no time. It's frustrating!
Ok, awful day, eh?
So I come home, wrap the presents I do have (I figured out something for Boy), and took out my anger on our Wii. I bowled a 168! That's a personal record for me. I then upped my skills level on Wii Tennis to 606 (We've had this game for two days...).
At least the virtual world likes me.
Although, my shoulder wants to kill me.
I hope your day was better than mine!
Tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow we remember the Savior of the world entering His creation in the form of an infant. Not just any infant, but an infant who was born in a stinky, smelly stable to a carpenter and his teenage wife-to-be. Perhaps my situation wasn't the only one that's less than perfect.
<>< Katie
After lunch, I pulled back into the theater parking lot just as the movie ended. We then had to go to the mall. One day before Christmas. In a blizzard. Puke.
It was very easy for me to say, "If the glasses people hadn't broken my glasses the first time they tried to fix them, I could just go home now and finish making Christmas cookies. Wrap the presents? Oh, yeah, gotta do that, too." No. I had to be sitting in the mall... for an hour... while they replaced the lens of my glasses and then tried to tell me I needed to pay for it. In reality, they broke it, and eventually they replaced the lens for free.
While I was stalling for an hour, I ran over to a department store looking for a specific item. Well, apparently they don't make the size I need. Surprise, surprise. My entire body doesn't fit into the sizes made. Shoes, pants, shirts, you name it... it doesn't fit properly... After many hours (or at least many, many minutes) of searching, a sales associate approached me and asked if I was finding everything alright. I answered honestly (no) and told her what I was looking for. She then tried to convince me I needed to sign up for a charge card for that particular store. Well, if I can't find the product I want, why do I need to save money by signing up for a card? I told her no literally four different times. She then went to find another sales associate to ask if they make the size I was looking for. The second associate said no without offering any other suggestion. I walked away in frustration, and I heard the two sales associates making jokes. Maybe they weren't directed at me, maybe they were just having fun, but I highly doubt it. Needless to say, I promptly left the store.
My sister and I left the mall and I asked her where the package was. Her boyfriend is coming for Christmas and I didn't know what to get him, so she was going to go buy something while I was picking up my glasses. Well, apparently she couldn't find what she was looking for, so she bought nothing. Now I have no present for Boy. For tomorrow. Crap.
Drove home. Yeah, let's plow the roads.
Found a message waiting for me from a friend who wants to get together before break is over. Well, I had most of last week free, but she couldn't do anything. Now I'm booked and she's moderately free. I really, really want to get together with her, but there seems to be no time. It's frustrating!
Ok, awful day, eh?
So I come home, wrap the presents I do have (I figured out something for Boy), and took out my anger on our Wii. I bowled a 168! That's a personal record for me. I then upped my skills level on Wii Tennis to 606 (We've had this game for two days...).
At least the virtual world likes me.
Although, my shoulder wants to kill me.
I hope your day was better than mine!
Tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow we remember the Savior of the world entering His creation in the form of an infant. Not just any infant, but an infant who was born in a stinky, smelly stable to a carpenter and his teenage wife-to-be. Perhaps my situation wasn't the only one that's less than perfect.
<>< Katie
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Brokenness, It's What You've Got From Me
Faithfulness,
Faithfulness
It's what I long for.
Faithfulness,
it's what I need.
Faithfulness,
It's what You want from me.
Holiness
Holiness
It's what I long for.
Holiness,
it's what I need.
Holiness,
It's what You want from me.
Brokenness,
Brokenness,
It's what I long for.
Brokenness,
it's what I need.
Brokenness,
It's what You want from me.
How often do we add our own verses?
Sleeplessness,
Sleeplessness,
It's what I long for.
Sleeplessness,
It's what I need.
Sleeplessness,
It's what You want from me.
Loneliness,
Loneliness,
It's what I long for.
Loneliness,
It's what I need.
Loneliness,
It's what You want from me.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's sing the bridge instead
So take my heart and form it
Take my mind, transform it.
Take my will, conform it.
To Yours, to Yours, oh, Lord
We're only a few weeks into the semester and I'm already burnt out. As I look at what I'm doing as for extra circulars: they're all for Him. Most of them are Campus Ministries organizations. I'm quickly learning I can't participate in everything I want to participate in or I will probably die. I'd do better to listen faithfully to Him. THEN hear and obey the answers He gives, not the answers I want!
Oh, if only it were that easy!
In Christ,
<>< Katie
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ: He is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come." 1 Corinthians 5:17
(Add that to the board in the youth room... that was from memory! :-))
Faithfulness
It's what I long for.
Faithfulness,
it's what I need.
Faithfulness,
It's what You want from me.
Holiness
Holiness
It's what I long for.
Holiness,
it's what I need.
Holiness,
It's what You want from me.
Brokenness,
Brokenness,
It's what I long for.
Brokenness,
it's what I need.
Brokenness,
It's what You want from me.
How often do we add our own verses?
Sleeplessness,
Sleeplessness,
It's what I long for.
Sleeplessness,
It's what I need.
Sleeplessness,
It's what You want from me.
Loneliness,
Loneliness,
It's what I long for.
Loneliness,
It's what I need.
Loneliness,
It's what You want from me.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's sing the bridge instead
So take my heart and form it
Take my mind, transform it.
Take my will, conform it.
To Yours, to Yours, oh, Lord
We're only a few weeks into the semester and I'm already burnt out. As I look at what I'm doing as for extra circulars: they're all for Him. Most of them are Campus Ministries organizations. I'm quickly learning I can't participate in everything I want to participate in or I will probably die. I'd do better to listen faithfully to Him. THEN hear and obey the answers He gives, not the answers I want!
Oh, if only it were that easy!
In Christ,
<>< Katie
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ: He is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come." 1 Corinthians 5:17
(Add that to the board in the youth room... that was from memory! :-))
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Department of Motor Vehicles
Anonymous Melissa made a comment about being able to find a spiritual connection to everything. I'm pretty sure that's not true, but I'll figured it wouldn't hurt to try. I asked God if He could show me a spirital connection to a trip to the DMV. Sure enough, He did.
I had to go to the DMV today to renew my driver's license, and I wasn't really excited about it. In fact, I was pretty much dreading it. So, there I went first thing this morning, and perched myself in a chair where I figured I would sit for the next four hours. I tried studying for my final, I played Yatzee, and I people-watched. I saw some pretty fun folk.
A woman in scrubs with a young deaf girl probably four-ish.
A girl not much older than I am with two young boys. I'm pretty sure she's the nanny but it was still interesting.
A woman with an ity bity baby sleeping on her lap. Her older daughter was taking a road test.
A sixteen year old who failed his roadtest.
It was pretty fun to watch the people, but all of the sudden I looked up and my number is on the screen. It's been so intent on watching the people that I missed my number being called. Luckily I made it up to the lady before missing my opportunity completely, but I was embarressed.
Sometimes are we so busy watching other people that we miss God calling our names? That's bad. Sometimes we're killing time doing nothing, He's calling us, and we're ignoring Him. That's bad.
<><>
"No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins." Isaiah 64:7
I had to go to the DMV today to renew my driver's license, and I wasn't really excited about it. In fact, I was pretty much dreading it. So, there I went first thing this morning, and perched myself in a chair where I figured I would sit for the next four hours. I tried studying for my final, I played Yatzee, and I people-watched. I saw some pretty fun folk.
A woman in scrubs with a young deaf girl probably four-ish.
A girl not much older than I am with two young boys. I'm pretty sure she's the nanny but it was still interesting.
A woman with an ity bity baby sleeping on her lap. Her older daughter was taking a road test.
A sixteen year old who failed his roadtest.
It was pretty fun to watch the people, but all of the sudden I looked up and my number is on the screen. It's been so intent on watching the people that I missed my number being called. Luckily I made it up to the lady before missing my opportunity completely, but I was embarressed.
Sometimes are we so busy watching other people that we miss God calling our names? That's bad. Sometimes we're killing time doing nothing, He's calling us, and we're ignoring Him. That's bad.
<><>
"No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins." Isaiah 64:7
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)