Friends, I'm introducing a little something new to my Faith Friday series. Once a month, I'll be hosting a guest writer to share their faith journey, and let us meet them in the raw of everyday, in the joy, the heartache and the struggles. Today is Elaine Carr. She's a kindred spirit and such a light to so many. She also owns Macaroni Kid Indianapolis-Indy Loop In and Macaroni Kid Hamilton County. Grab a warm cup of coffee or tea, sit a bit and take in all Elaine has to share.
It was four weeks ago that I crept into my youngest daughter’s bedroom to check on her and kiss her, as she slept. She awoke for a minute and asked where I was going; I responded, “I’m going to Riley for the night with a couple friends from church.” She sat up for a moment and asked, “Oh, is Camrynne going to Heaven now?” I told her that yes, Camrynne will be going to Heaven very soon. A huge smile crept over her first-grade face, her eyes lit up, and she proclaimed, “Oh, good! Good for her.” She laid back down and as she rolled over, quietly said, “Please ask her to say ‘hello’ to my sister and tell her I’ll be there soon enough because I was just baptized.”
I closed the door and stood in the hallway while tears quietly rolled down my face; going to sit with a mother whose daughter had battled cancer the past year was tearing my heart apart. Camrynne had fought hard through painful nights but never wavered in her faith and love for Jesus. So many had been praying for her to be healed and it became clear that healing would happen but not on this side of heaven. This warrior left the arms of her mother to be received by Jesus on Valentine’s Day.
As I quietly prayed for her parents, I remember being the mom who was shaking her fist at God and screaming it wasn’t fair. I remember my husband lifting a small coffin into the ground at the graveyard. I remember saying, “How will I ever survive this and how will I ever live again?” Where are you God?
My mind races to the funeral service for my daughter. My niece, who was in first grade at the time, looked at everyone crying and seemed to be perplexed by all the grief. She had a smile on her face and exclaimed, “Quit crying! She has a front row seat to all the joy!” At the time, that statement of excitement over my baby dying infuriated me; however, in time, I’ve come to see that the children are right. They are spot on. They aren’t dismissing the grief or the loss, but they are acknowledging the absolute joy in being with Christ. They believe, without question, that being with the Savior is better than being in this fallen world.
If we, as Christians, trust in what we claim to believe, then we must grieve differently! I’m not saying we cannot cry, and we do not ache to hold our loved ones that have left us but, we need to keep our eyes on the things that are not seen. We must rejoice that our loved ones are free of this world. This world where cancer kills children, where SIDS steals our babies, this world where tears are plenty, and heartache is in abundance.
Somewhere along the path to adulthood, many of us have lost our childlike faith. We hold onto this world like it is the end. Its not. This world is broken. This world is flawed. We know love here and experience joy but this is just the waiting. We are here waiting for something better, something whole, something we will never know or experience until we have entered heaven and have a front row seat to all the joy!
Jesus himself said, “…unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~Matthew 18:3
So, laugh a little longer, hug a little harder, slow down a little and take time to purposely be childlike in your prayers, worship, thoughts and life.
She Has A Front Row Seat to All The Joy
It was four weeks ago that I crept into my youngest daughter’s bedroom to check on her and kiss her, as she slept. She awoke for a minute and asked where I was going; I responded, “I’m going to Riley for the night with a couple friends from church.” She sat up for a moment and asked, “Oh, is Camrynne going to Heaven now?” I told her that yes, Camrynne will be going to Heaven very soon. A huge smile crept over her first-grade face, her eyes lit up, and she proclaimed, “Oh, good! Good for her.” She laid back down and as she rolled over, quietly said, “Please ask her to say ‘hello’ to my sister and tell her I’ll be there soon enough because I was just baptized.”
I closed the door and stood in the hallway while tears quietly rolled down my face; going to sit with a mother whose daughter had battled cancer the past year was tearing my heart apart. Camrynne had fought hard through painful nights but never wavered in her faith and love for Jesus. So many had been praying for her to be healed and it became clear that healing would happen but not on this side of heaven. This warrior left the arms of her mother to be received by Jesus on Valentine’s Day.
As I quietly prayed for her parents, I remember being the mom who was shaking her fist at God and screaming it wasn’t fair. I remember my husband lifting a small coffin into the ground at the graveyard. I remember saying, “How will I ever survive this and how will I ever live again?” Where are you God?
My mind races to the funeral service for my daughter. My niece, who was in first grade at the time, looked at everyone crying and seemed to be perplexed by all the grief. She had a smile on her face and exclaimed, “Quit crying! She has a front row seat to all the joy!” At the time, that statement of excitement over my baby dying infuriated me; however, in time, I’ve come to see that the children are right. They are spot on. They aren’t dismissing the grief or the loss, but they are acknowledging the absolute joy in being with Christ. They believe, without question, that being with the Savior is better than being in this fallen world.
If we, as Christians, trust in what we claim to believe, then we must grieve differently! I’m not saying we cannot cry, and we do not ache to hold our loved ones that have left us but, we need to keep our eyes on the things that are not seen. We must rejoice that our loved ones are free of this world. This world where cancer kills children, where SIDS steals our babies, this world where tears are plenty, and heartache is in abundance.
Somewhere along the path to adulthood, many of us have lost our childlike faith. We hold onto this world like it is the end. Its not. This world is broken. This world is flawed. We know love here and experience joy but this is just the waiting. We are here waiting for something better, something whole, something we will never know or experience until we have entered heaven and have a front row seat to all the joy!
Jesus himself said, “…unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~Matthew 18:3
So, laugh a little longer, hug a little harder, slow down a little and take time to purposely be childlike in your prayers, worship, thoughts and life.
- Elaine
Have a faith story you'd like to share? Email me and let's chat.
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