From the hearts of our children...

As many of you know, the Kimbrough family is home from Africa on their furlough.  Before Amanda was diagnosed with cancer, our family had all got our Visas.  We were in the process of planning a missionary trip/vacation to Africa to spend time with the Kimbroughs.

Throughout her illness, Amanda often asked when the Kimbroughs would be home.  In fact, it was just a day or two before she passed that she asked, once again, how much longer it would be before they came home.  I think she knew....

After Amanda's passing, we received an email from Abigail.  The Kimbroughs have four children, from oldest to youngest-Isabel, Abigail, Isaac and Amos.  Over the four years since we had last seen the Kimbrough family, Amanda had written the girls a few times and always enjoyed receiving emails and letters in return.

Well, we received an unbelievably sweet and encouraging letter, written by Abigail, who is ten years old, right after Amanda died:

SOOOOOOO sorry about Amanda. But she has no more pain, and she is with our Savior, LORD and Creator. We WILL see her again, praising the LORD in person, together. We will remember her strong faith to the end. “Though I am absent in body I am with you in spirit.” We loved her oh soooooooooooo much and we still do even know that she is gone, Remember God has all of us in his arms, and He will NEVER let us go, even if it seems he has. Everything that happens is for a purpose, even if we don’t  know what it is. We have been praying for you whole heartedly but with heavy hearts as well. When you feel abandoned and lonely the LORD is with you, and you have caring friends. The LORD will comfort you. We should celebrate her life, and remember her strong faith. I wish we could be with you. God LOVES you and WILL comfort you.
LOVE your mourning friend, ABIGAIL 

Abigail, Amanda and Isabel

The Herd - 2011

As you know, both Tom and my family all live in central Texas.  Amanda and my nephew, Kyle, have always been very close to each other, both in age and in their relationship with each other.  This past weekend, he was asked to write something that he had "pressed on" through during this past year.

This is what he said:

This past year has been hard because my cousin has recently passed away so me and my family had to press on because she has been with us for ten years and we had a little difficult time letting her go.  But as a family we have pressed on together. ~Florence PIP Group, 8th year, PIP

What a sweet and precious relationship....

Despite the great week I had last week, these past few days have been extremely hard.  I'm not sure what it was, but Sunday, I almost had a panic attack as I started thinking about Amanda and the feeling of a very long future here without her and all that I will miss with her.  It's almost like my mind and body are still "accepting" the truth of her death.    Yesterday, it was just tears and missing her, then I went outside and saw that the bluebonnets were beginning to bloom.  That managed to push me over the edge....total complete meltdown.

Another first ~ bluebonnets.  My dad raised us with a love for wildflowers.  From the time the kids were old enough to "pick" flowers, they were taught not to pick the flowers, but instead to enjoy their beauty so they could seed out and grow again the following spring. 

Reminds me of the scripture in Matthew 6.  

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

A simple, yet beautiful reminder for me.  Seeking first the Kingdom should be how I start my day.  God cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, how much more does He care for me?  I shouldn't be anxious, but simply trust God and His plan - for that day and that day only.  It is so easy for me to bog myself down in the sadness of yesterday and tomorrow if I am not careful.  

Each morning I wake, I should remember that the day before me has new mercies sufficient to get me through that day.  I shouldn't worry about yesterday or what may come tomorrow, but to live in the day.  I quickly learned how to do that while Amanda was fighting cancer, but have let myself fall out of that habit since then.   Okay, so there's my pep talk...

I am going to do my best to enjoy the beautiful spring that is upon us.....

Thankful for the beauty of a child's faith, the glorious promise of seeing Amanda again, and the reminder that we will press on.....

Mark 10:27

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”