Every Parents Worst Nightmare

Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare. Wednesday evening tragedy struck one of Contemporary Christian's leading singers - Steven Curtis Chapman. Yesterday the news released that one of Steven's daughters was struck and killed by a vehicle her brother was driving. I can't even begin to imagine, nor can my mind comprehend the grief they must be experiencing. For more information, you can visit his site at this link.

While thinking about this horrible tragedy last night, I came to realize just how much I take for granted. It seems like the past month has been overwhelmed with grief and tragedy - both personally for us and generally within the world. Three women in our church have lost their husbands, 2 of which we personally knew, and the other of whom we know his wife. The tornadoes struck Mark's hometown twice, tornadoes in CO, earthquakes in China, cyclones in Myanmar, and need I go on.

I wake up everyday as if that's what will always happen, but the reality is that death often strikes suddenly and tragically. But to be even more realistic, we're each appointed a time to die. Death is what makes life worth living, giving meaning to all that's important. But when we lose perspective and fail to note that our time could in fact be anytime, we lose sight of the very things in life that make us the happiest, give us the most joy, and that we'd be completely lost without.

Last night as I was doing the dishes and listening to the radio, Anna wanted to dance. I caught myself saying "Not right now, Mommy's doing the dishes." And in that instance flashed before me how many more times Steven Curtis Chapman would love to dance with his daughter (see video below). And I stopped. And we danced and danced. And laughed. And then I danced with Eli, too. I never want to take Mark or Anna and Eli for granted, nor my family and friends, nor life in general. So dance, love, laugh, and live....live life to the fullest.