I was in a half-awake state when a loud knock came at the door with the doorbell ringing quickly after. As I glanced at the clock reading 7:30, I could feel the urgency of the visitor. Macca went to the door and I could hear form the other room the heart wrenching sounds of someone in grief. The words, “The baby, baby Kenzie, she... dead this morning.” was enough to make me wish this was all just a nightmare. The sobs from the door soon faded down the stairs and a deafening silence filled the space.
Macca had gone with Mrs. Waid to get baby Kenzie and bring her to a home that would teach her of Jesus, care for her, and surround her with arms of love. They named her after Macca. And now... This...
I went to the front room were Macca sat trying to process the words that were said just moments before. All I could do was sit close and ache for her, the caregivers, and staff.
What can you do when something so devastating happens? When life takes its toll too soon on a precious baby? What can you say to those who have been left with just a memory and no answers?
That morning, the caregivers eyes were filled with questions and sorrow, instead of the usual sparkle. As I went back up to the room, I met the director who had just returned from taking baby Kenzie to the hospital. With tears in her eyes she said just one word as I embraced her. One word, that was all there was left in this heartbroken woman. One word, that summed up so much emotion, way to much emotion for one morning. “Sad”. Her eyes said it as well. Sad.
Goodbyes are hard, even more so when they are unexpected. I sit on a plane waiting to touch down in a familiar place that I call my temporary home. I think about how 'goodbyes' and waiting seem to go together. I think about how thankful I am that we are given the gift of hope and faith. Hope that we will see them again; the ones we've said goodbye to, when He returns. All we can do is wait.
But, is waiting the only thing we are meant to do? We wait for so many things: for test results, an exciting vacation, more time with family, graduations, seeing friends, creating a family, and for the day when God takes us home. But while we wait, we have been given a special job. We have been given the honor of sharing God’s love with those around us. We can share a smile, we can give comfort and hope to the grieving, we can be an encourager and a listener.
Waiting is hard unless we put our eyes on the present moment God has given us. The moment that we can make better when we let Him work through us. And, when we wait with God, He gives us strength to soar, strength to continue on the path He has purposefully place us on.
