A Christmas Gift...

I can't believe that it is already half way through January! That means that we are almost 1/12th of the way through 2006! Holy cow! And it has been a month of mixed happiness and sadness.

On Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2006 God called a beautiful 14 month old girl home to His kingdom. The funeral was on the 8th, and it was the first that I've attended since my mother died in April 1997. There have been many that I should have gone to, I lost several friends in high school, and last year on my internship some amazing and beloved members of the conrgegation died, but there was no way I could go to the funerals.

However, my feelings were different. I couldn't NOT go to this funeral! I wanted to be there to celebrate this child's life. This may seem morbid, but the service was beautiful and almost joyful. Natalie was the oldest of twins. Her name means "to be born at Christmas." It was so special though because the girls had been born 2 months early. If you averaged out when they were born and when they were to be born... it was Christmas! Pastor Speckhard talked about this and the fact that she had simply lit up all the way through the Christmas season! She was always less healthy then her sister... but Christmas she simply sparkled! Then at the end of Christmas... as if she knew it was time to go home and that her season was over, God called Natalie home. It seems sad... and I can't imagine the pain that her family faces, but we know that God's plan for her was beautiful and that now heaven is even more beautiful because we know that she is with her Savior!

I have more to write... and I'll do more later... but I simply want to dedicate this to the beautiful life that I saw in Natalie and the life moving forward in her twin Liza. God bless their family and all who love them.