Kira Mary

Twelves months ago, little three year old Kira Mary

went home to be with Jesus.

Her mother, Mary Lou, was in the first Home Ec class I taught...

she was also the first of  'my girls' to get married.

Never, ever, did we know in such a short time

that death would be another 'first.'

Death was not taught in Home Ec.

Death came so sudden, so quick - it was like a bad dream.

Lying in her tiny coffin with her favorite stuffed toy snug against her face,

in a lovely dress and wrapped in a soft blanket,

it was though if you'd called her name, she'd wake up.

The past year has been a long, hard journey...

we all wanted to heal the pain for Merlin and Mary Lou,
 but no one could...
no one but God.

In June, Mary Lou and the two girls came to my house for a tea.
At first  reluctant, Marlea quickly found the playhouse to eat her ice cream cone...

and to play dress-up.

Anna played at our feet while Mary Lou and I talked about life...

and ate our dessert.

Life and death are complicated, filled with questions.

Was Kira's life wasted? Is her death wasted?

NO!

Both are a celebration...a celebration that will be complete in heaven.

A favorite bedtime song of Kira's was

'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'.

Mary Lou, by the grace of God,

sang this song at Kira's funeral service.

She sang with grace and pain and power...

it was filled with the presence of God!

Mary Lou, I know this past year has been really, really hard,

filled with pain...

But I see God in you every time you share pieces of this pain in your blog.

You bless me with your honesty,

challenging me to honesty,

thus exalting God - be it in life or be it in death!

...blessedness!

ox