on a serious note

I watched an episode of House last night. It was quite intense. One of the main characters took his own life. By the end of the episode I was in tears (I'm sure that's what the writers intended to have me do). But the tears were not from being emotionally attached to the character (I rarely watch TV these days) but because of personal experiences and losses.

It was just a few years back that I attended a memorial service for a young man who took his life (actually, it's been closer to 7 years, but when someone dies it never seems that they have been gone as long as they really have). At this extremely moving and God glorifying service, I took home some life lessons that I immediately put into practice.

A young man spoke at this service - it was his cousin who had passed. With intensity he spoke about the casualness with which we greet people. "How you doin'?" or "Hey there, how's it going?" and how often we dismiss their responses or fail to read the deeper meaning that this person is trying to express: "I'm all right...*sigh*" or "I'm hangin' in there." We've turned that question into a greeting where we don't really care what the person's response is or what the feelings behind the response are. We just expect them to say, "fine." I know I've been guilty of this. Sure, it takes time to listen to someone who is having a tough day or has some major trial in their life, but wouldn't you rather know you did your best to give a caring shoulder than to ignore the struggles of our friends and even acquaintances? You never know where you might make a difference if you allow God to use you in that way. (And when I say "you" I mean "me" because I've got a lot of lessons to learn myself!)

When this young man's mother spoke, I was hit with a message that I am now constantly putting into practice: the expression of love to my children. Not that I forget to tell them "I love you," but there are many situations that we overlook the importance of those words. Since that day I have told my daughter numerous times, "It doesn't matter how much you mess up, how angry you make me; there is nothing you can do that will ever make me stop loving you." And I remind her of this often. My boy doesn't quite understand the implications of this yet, but my daughter certainly does! (She's a bit strong-willed which lends to learning things the hard way).

And the wonderful thing about this situation is that it leads into being able to explain to her the unconditional love that God has for her. In my imperfections, she might find reason to doubt my love, but in God's perfect love she is in a constant state of being loved. The security of that love is priceless.

KC

For I am persuaded,
that neither death,
nor life,
nor angels,
nor principalities,
nor powers,
nor things present,
nor things to come,
nor height,
nor depth,
nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us
from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39