I’m usually writing my blog from a desk – either the one at home or one on the road at a hotel.  Today’s blog is brought to you from my side of the bed…some places are just more comfortable than others.  The bed is comfy place to be.

My mind is in Calgary today.  I found during the morning church service that I was wondering off to the west to one family – to one little girl.  I just simply couldn’t shake what I know is happening in the hospital where they are, where they are watching and waiting as cancer takes the life of their little girl.

The family has moved into the Rotary Flames Home so they can be closer – available to her and she to them as they have need.  We’ve been praying for them all.  Praying God would give them a miracle, that her life would be spared and this little girl would be freed from the tyranny of cancer.  Cancer seems to have free reign on this earth, seems to pick it’s next victim without any reason or mercy.

This little girl will soon be free of this old world, will be meeting her grandpa and grandma for the first time.  She will soon be free of her pain – she’ll be able to see freely and will never again have to worry about illness, pain, sorrow….

Does it seem like I’m dismissing the pain of her leaving her family?  I’m not – in fact I can’t really imagine the depth of that pain.  I’ve done several funerals for children – and I’m always deeply moved to walk those few days with the family…and of course that’s the point….the family must go on without their child and never fully escape the memory.  The pain might be less or more distant but never gone.  My experience with them is brief.  Though I never forget the family or the emotion my experience is little in comparison.

Maybe I have them on my mind more today because of Rachel, because I can’t imagine not watching her grow up, graduate, get married, be a productive person, be a mother.  Whether those things are ever going to happen or not, we do live in anticipation.

This family lives in the immediate pain of anticipated loss.

So we pray.  We pray for peace for them – peace in the midst of loss.  We pray that Julia will soon be free of her pain and alive in Heaven.