Rachelle took over the task of Santa and she filled everyone's expectations, and beyond with perfect gifts from favorite stores that brought squeals of delight over and over..
Sterling and Kathy were a busy Santa team as well, designing and drawing a family portrait... such a treasure! They also made new custom designed shoes for Madie and MarShae.. their most beloved gift, and all who knew them knew how they loved their shoes that their big brother Sterling personally designed for them...
Ryan and Klara bring us the gift of family that continues with little children so excited for all the events of Christmas morning..so grateful for their wonderful family...
Taylor brought music home... he brought a new song that we sang together as a family Christmas morning, and sang with his dear Madeline Morris "Oh Holy Night" in our Christmas morning services... She was so excited to get to sing with her big brother and it was just beautiful... Madie, MarShae and Marielle were so excited to have all the big kids home together for a few cherished moments together... sugar plums discovered in Old town Spring, shooting range with the whole family, orange rolls, super mario cart races, Elf, dance parties etc...
As I have approach Christmas this year, it has been hard to hear the laughter of the season, joy and excitement... Christmas will never return the same for us because there will always be a missing person at the table, one less stocking to fill, and one less smile and laugh to bring added joy to our family...The only thing that brings me comfort is knowing that we will be reunited as a complete family someday, but for now we can rebuild the shattered dreams of a future that looks different, enjoy the moments of family and friends! That is all that really matters... time spent with each other, talking crying, laughing, singing, wishing there wasn't the hole left in each of our hearts, but grateful to have had each member of our family... just one missing makes the heart ache in a way that is hard to put into words...
Rachelle’s thoughts, 12/17/2012
As I reflect on this particularly unique
Christmas season - one that has been marred in this nation by the tragic
shootings in Connecticut, and one that has been uprooted in my own family as we
mourn the loss of our dear Madeline - there are a few
thoughts that continually come to mind:
Christ lived perfectly, but His life was anything but perfect. As noted by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 53:3), the Lord is "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." When Jesus declared to His disciples, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27), He was not stating it as a being who bypassed sorrow and grief himself. For Jesus experienced the pains and afflictions of mortality, just as we do, and because of His experience, He can perfectly succor each of us in our times of need.
Make no mistake, my heart aches for Madie. Oh how I wish I could chat/laugh/dance with her one more time. I know all of her loved ones wish for one more memory with her. But alas, her time in mortality was shorter than what we had all anticipated, and we must face our lives without her physical presence.
Nevertheless, while I feel pain I have never felt before (pain I hope many reading this post never have to endure), I also feel comfort from the Lord in ways I have never experienced. Indeed, the Lord IS the Prince of Peace, and I am grateful I can celebrate His birth during this tumultuous time.
And even though I lack the musical talents that Taylor, Ryan, MarShae, Bailee,Kathy, etc possess, all I yearn to do right now is sing these lyrics of our family's favorite Christmas carol:
Sweet hymns of joy
In grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord, let ever ever praise Thee
Noël, Noël
Oh night, Oh night divine
May we all feel the Spirit of Christ during this special season, and through feeling the Spirit of Christ, may we all be a little kinder, a little more thoughtful, and a little more generous to those around us. —
Christ lived perfectly, but His life was anything but perfect. As noted by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 53:3), the Lord is "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." When Jesus declared to His disciples, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27), He was not stating it as a being who bypassed sorrow and grief himself. For Jesus experienced the pains and afflictions of mortality, just as we do, and because of His experience, He can perfectly succor each of us in our times of need.
Make no mistake, my heart aches for Madie. Oh how I wish I could chat/laugh/dance with her one more time. I know all of her loved ones wish for one more memory with her. But alas, her time in mortality was shorter than what we had all anticipated, and we must face our lives without her physical presence.
Nevertheless, while I feel pain I have never felt before (pain I hope many reading this post never have to endure), I also feel comfort from the Lord in ways I have never experienced. Indeed, the Lord IS the Prince of Peace, and I am grateful I can celebrate His birth during this tumultuous time.
And even though I lack the musical talents that Taylor, Ryan, MarShae, Bailee,Kathy, etc possess, all I yearn to do right now is sing these lyrics of our family's favorite Christmas carol:
Sweet hymns of joy
In grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord, let ever ever praise Thee
Noël, Noël
Oh night, Oh night divine
May we all feel the Spirit of Christ during this special season, and through feeling the Spirit of Christ, may we all be a little kinder, a little more thoughtful, and a little more generous to those around us. —
My thoughts...
Dec 18,2013 I can't believe it was 4 weeks ago tonight that Madeline Morriswas packing a bag, so excited that her brother Taylor Morris and Bailee Brinkerhoff had just announced their engagement, and decided to take off early to share their excitement with Bailee's family in Arizona.
One of the challenges for me personally is I didn't get to say goodbye...Who could have known... It has made me realize that it really is important to treat each other with the love that we would feel if it was our last encounter with them... Not always easy, but having no regrets is really powerful ... How often do we harbor ill feelings because someone hurt our feelings, or upset us...Human nature tells me it happens way more than I want to live with any more... Life can be short, and easy to take for granted...
Kindness always wins... It is never the wrong response...
Dec 18,2013 I can't believe it was 4 weeks ago tonight that Madeline Morriswas packing a bag, so excited that her brother Taylor Morris and Bailee Brinkerhoff had just announced their engagement, and decided to take off early to share their excitement with Bailee's family in Arizona.
One of the challenges for me personally is I didn't get to say goodbye...Who could have known... It has made me realize that it really is important to treat each other with the love that we would feel if it was our last encounter with them... Not always easy, but having no regrets is really powerful ... How often do we harbor ill feelings because someone hurt our feelings, or upset us...Human nature tells me it happens way more than I want to live with any more... Life can be short, and easy to take for granted...
Kindness always wins... It is never the wrong response...
No comments:
Post a Comment