Another year gone by...

Yes, another year has come and gone.  It feels like it has come and gone quickly, mostly, and we quite often wonder "where has the time gone?"  In those moments, as we are fixing dinner for hungry kids, giving a bath to a toddler that doesn't want to cooperate, or helping a teenager with algebra that we don't even understand ourselves, it may not feel like the time is moving so quickly, right?!  However, once those moments have passed and we are staring at the end of the day, the end of the week, month and finally the end of the year, we most definitely wonder "where has the time gone?"  Sometimes we also wonder things like "did I spend enough time with my kids?" and "what I have accomplished?" or "am I doing enough?"  We tend to ponder these things at the end of a year and the beginning of a new one, wanting to make sure we make promises, New Year resolutions to do better in the new year than we did in the last one.  This is not always a bad thing.   Just make sure you don't go overboard with promises that you can't actually achieve. :)

For those of you who follow the In Loving Memory of Morgan Rae Facebook page, this will be a repeat, but I will not apologize.  I believe that my husband, Kevin, also has a gift for writing beautiful, heart-felt words that help other people.  I want to share here, on my blog, what he posted on the Morgan page yesterday.  So here are the precious and encouraging words from my amazing husband, Kevin.

"I found myself searching the group to see what we posted in the years past after the new year.  I was curious what was posted in 2015 when Morgan was in the hospital and 2016 when we brought in a new year without her in this world. I was trying to come up with something of my own to say as we saw another year without our daughter fade away into the past.  I came up empty with anything new, refreshing, or uplifting to say that would give others hope.

This morning I read the While We're Waiting Refuge for Bereaved Parents first blog post of the new year and it gave me just what I needed as I look back and remember all we have been through and consider the unknown number of more years to come and go.  This is the excerpt I read:

     "In May of 2008, Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth lost their five-year-old daughter in an automobile accident.  They were deluged by messages of kindness.  One, in particular, gave Steven strength. It was from a pastor friend who'd lost his son in an auto accident.  'Remember, your future with your daughter will be greater than your past with her.'

This has given me just what I needed today as I consider tomorrow and what it holds as I continue to put one foot in front of the other and march through another year without Morgan being a part of our earthly family.  May everyone who continues to read and respond to our posts and pray for us be blessed by our Heavenly Father in 2020!! We love you all!!  Sincerely, Kevin"

I love this man.  He is my rock and he definitely gave me exactly what I needed with this, as I start another year without our girl.  And this Pastor friend of Steven's is so correct!  Your future is so much greater than your past.  Do not linger too long on what is gone.  Be ready for what is to come.  We do love you all very much!  -Carla